Finding Articles on a Topic

Step 1—Choose a database

Georgia State University Library provides access to a large number of databases that contain both full-text articles and citations/abstracts. Use these databases to find articles on a topic you need to research. Our web page of Electronic Resources & Databases (http://www.library.gsu.edu/databases) and GALILEO (http://www.galileo.usg.edu) categorize the databases according to broad academic discipline categories. These categories can help you choose the best resources for your topic.

Step 2—Search the database(s) for articles on your topic

It is useful to spend some time thinking about your topic and the key words associated with it before searching a database. Compile a list of terms associated with your topic and pay careful attention to correct spellings and synonyms. If you find an article you need and it is full-text, you are done!

Using Find It 

If you find a citation for an article that you need but the database contains only a citation or an abstract, look for a  button and click on it to search for the full-text in the library’s other databases. Find It will tell you whether full-text of the article is available in other databases or collections of electronic journals to which the University Library subscribes. If the article is available, a new window will open to the Find It menu, containing link(s) to the database(s) that contain the article. Click on the link to the database to search for the article. In the example below, you would click on the link to Synergy.

Depending on the resource to which you are linked, you will either browse or search for the article title.

You may also be able to access the article in print or microform format. Click on the link to Georgia State University Libraries’ catalog to automatically search to find out if the library owns the journal.

If at any time you need assistance, click on Ask a Librarian (http://www.library.gsu.edu/askalibrarian) to send an e-mail question to or chat with a reference librarian.

If the article is unavailable through the library in any format, you can request a copy through the Interlibrary Loan online form (http://www.library.gsu.edu/ill) or ask for assistance at the Research Support Desk on the 2nd floor of Library North.

Page updated on: July 3, 2007