An article database allows you to search for articles that have already appeared in print in magazines, newspapers, and journals. It is imporant to understand the difference between a magazine and a journal. To locate a magazine, journal or newspaper on a topic, you need to use an article database or a print periodical index.
You should look for articles when:
Because no one database examines ALL newspapers, magazines and journals, you may need to search several databases or print indexes in order to find enough articles to cover your research topic.
Helpful hints on finding periodical articles:Proquest is a general or multidisciplinary database, which means that it covers a broad range of topics from current events to history, business, art, literature, etc. Proquest includes the full-text of some periodicals and the indexing and abstracts for other periodicals. When accessing online databases from off campus, an RVCC Network Login will be required.
The boxes on the left of the search screen permit Boolean searching. You can combine your keywords with and, or, and not. This database also permits proximity searching. This means you can tell the database that you want your keywords to be within three words of each other or you want one keyword to immediately precede the other keyword.
The boxes on the right of the search screen permit field searching. Searching for You can specify any one field, like 'person' or 'subject' to narrow down your search.
The lower boxes permit you to search for articles from specific years or to specify full text articles and scholarly articles from peer-reviewed journals.
In the current search we are looking for nuclear waste and disposal.
The computer will look for the keyphrase (nuclear waste) and the keyword (disposal) in the citation and the abstract of all articles in the of the database.
You should expect a large number of articles from such a search!
The Search Result screen shows that 697 articles met your search parameters. They are presented in a numbered list in reverse chronological order. Many of the articles -- like those listed above -- will be available in full-text from the database. If the record states "full text" or "Page image", simply click on the title of the article to retrieve it.
The Article Display will show our keywords in red. However, a closer look at the Subject Terms shows the controlled vocabulary for this database. The preferred terms are radioactive wastes and waste disposal.
If we redo our search using these Subject Terms, we will find articles that are totally focused on those two topics.
Returning to the Advanced Search screen we are going to be much more specific in our search of the database. We will use Boolean searching and field searching within a more current date range.
The computer will look for the radioactive wastes and waste disposal in the Subject Terms area of the database and will return only those article that contain both of our terms in the current year.
You should expect a smaller number of articles.
As you explore the many article databases to which you have access at the RVCC Library, do not be distracted by their different names and colors. Instead FOCUS ON THEIR COMMON FEATURES:
Paper Periodical Indexes are located on the Index Tables on the first floor of the library. Paper indexes go back many years. If you require articles from a time before the 1980's, you may need to search a paper index.
| Broad Topic or Subject | Relevant Periodical Index |
|---|---|
| General Information | Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature New York Times Index |
| Art | Art Index |
| Business, Economics | Wall Street Journal Index |
| Literature, Art, History, Music | Humanities Index |
| Sociology, Psychology | Social Science Index |
SUBJECT
Title of article. Name of author. Title of
periodical Volume of periodical:Pages of article
Date of periodical
FAULKNER, William
Collapse of dynasty: the thematic center of
Absalom,Absalom! R.Behrens. PMLA 89:24-33 Ja '74
Faulkner's A rose for Emily. J.F.Kobler.Eplicator 32:
65 Ap '74
Problem of time in The sound and the fury: a critical
reassessment and reinterpretation. D.Messerli. Southern
Lit J 6:19-41 Spr '74
The citation in the paper index gives you much of the same information that you get from an online index:
The citation in the paper index does NOT give you: