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A Guide to Database and Catalog Searching: Find Articles Using Databases

How to access and search library databases and catalog

Start Here

Start on the library web page at http://library.nsula.edu, and click on the "Database Directories" bar.

 

If you know which database you want to search, choose it from the list by title. If not, study the menu to find a corresponding subject group, open it, and browse those to choose a useful one.

 

Using FindIt for Database Articles

Enter a search term in the FindIt@ search box on the main page.
When the results screen appears, select the Databases tab, or the "EBSCO Databases (EDS)" field in the "Everything" drop-down menu, if you only want journal articles.

Some records may not link to an item or a full text. In that case, request the item from InterLibrary Loan.

Detailed Record

This screenshot shows a database result of an article's detailed record (plus its beginning in HTML format).

Detailed Record

This screenshot shows the "detailed record," or bibliographic information, for an article retrieved  through the "FindIt" interface. Buttons on the right indicate how to get access.

screenshot of book record from Find It

Librarians use the terms "serial" and "periodical" interchangeably in most cases.  These types of items are published at regular intervals (that is, "in a series" or "periodically," for an indefinite period of time. 

"Journals" are professional academic or scholarly publications, usually edited by experts in the field ("peers"); newspapers and magazines are of more popular or general interest. Online periodicals, including blogs, may be peer-reviewed but sometimes are not so. If you're unsure, check the publication information or ask a librarian or professor for help.

Tips for Using Databases

Watch this official training video to learn how to use NSU Libraries' "FindIt" version of  SirsiDynix Enterprise.