Journals

To make the most of journal articles, you'll need to develop skills in finding, reading, and evaluating these resources. Here are some key reasons to search for journals and articles:

1. Finding specific articles:
• Locate articles referenced in other sources, or recommended to you
• Access key pieces of research in your field
• Retrieve articles by a specific author
2. Searching for articles on a subject:
• Explore a topic for assignments or research projects
• Identify relevant sources to support your arguments
• Stay current with the latest research in your field
3. Locating specific journal titles:
• Browse articles from a recommended journal
• Verify library access to a specific journal
• Explore the scope and focus of a particular journal
4. Discovering journal titles on a subject:
• Identify key journals in your discipline
• Stay up-to-date with the latest publications in your field
• Explore potential venues for publishing your own research

Use the guides below to learn more about finding and working with journals and articles.

LibrarySearch (powered by Ex Libris Primo) is the best tool for finding journal articles at our university for several reasons: 

• Comprehensive coverage: LibrarySearch provides access to a vast range of academic journals and articles from multiple publishers and databases, ensuring that you have a wide breadth of resources at your fingertips. 
• Accurate and relevant results: the search algorithms in LibrarySearch are specifically tailored to academic research, helping you find the most accurate and relevant articles for your research needs. 
• Integrated access: LibrarySearch is integrated with the Library's subscriptions, enabling you to access full-text articles directly. You can also easily check the availability of articles and request them if they are not immediately accessible. 
• Advanced search features: LibrarySearch offers advanced search features, such as filtering by resource type, publication date, and subject categories, allowing you to refine your search results more effectively than general search engines. 
• Institutional access: by using LibrarySearch, you can take advantage of our university's subscriptions, granting you access to a wealth of journal content that might otherwise require individual subscriptions or article purchases on other platforms. 

While other academic search engines like Google Scholar and Semantic Scholar are useful tools, they have some limitations compared to LibrarySearch when it comes to finding journal articles: 

Google Scholar:  

• Limited access: often provides citations without full-text access, requiring users to have individual subscriptions or pay for access to the articles. 
• Coverage gaps: not all publishers and journal sources are indexed, potentially leading to gaps in search results and missed content. 
• Less refined searches: lacks the advanced filtering and search refinement options available in LibrarySearch, making it harder to narrow down results to the most relevant articles. 
• No integration with Library Services: not integrated with our library's subscriptions, making it more difficult to access full-text articles directly. 

 Semantic Scholar:  

• Limited coverage:  primarily focuses on scholarly articles and conference papers, Semantic Scholar may not have the same comprehensive coverage of all journal titles as LibrarySearch. 
• Varying discipline coverage: Semantic Scholar's coverage varies across different disciplines, with a stronger focus on certain areas like computer science, biomedicine, and neuroscience. This means that researchers in other fields may find less relevant content compared to using LibrarySearch. 
• Less integration with Library Services: like Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar is not directly integrated with our library's subscriptions, which can make accessing full-text articles less seamless compared to LibrarySearch. 

We have two main types of journal databases and understanding the difference between them can help you navigate your research more effectively: 

• Publisher-specific databases: these provide access to content from a single publisher like ScienceDirect (Elsevier), Wiley Online Library, SAGE, Springer, and T&F among others. 
   
• Aggregator databases: these provide access to some full-text content from multiple publishers via sources like EBSCOhost (Business Source Complete, SPORTDiscus, APA PsycArticles, etc.) 

Additionally, it’s important to note that many publishers now offer integrated platforms that combine their journals, books, and other information types such as conference proceedings. Examples include ScienceDirect, SpringerLink and Wiley Online Library among others. These platforms can provide a more comprehensive research experience by allowing you to access a wider range of resources in one place. 

Conversely, some publishers like SAGE, Oxford University Press and Taylor & Francis continue to offer separate platforms for their books and journals. 

Almost all our subscribed journal content can be searched simultaneously via LibrarySearch. For a full list of all our databases see our A-Z list of online resources.