There are three steps to finding articles on a topic:
- Choose a Database.
- Search the Database for an article.
- Find the full text of that article.
Databases (sometimes called article indexes) list individual articles from journals, magazines and newspapers. Most cover particular academic disciplines, some are interdisciplinary.
Example:
- PubMed an open index database that publishes articles about health-related topics.
- CINAHL indexes journals about nursing, allied health, consumer health, biomedicine, and alternative therapy.
- PsycINFO indexes journals about psychology and the psychological aspects of various other disciplines.
The UBC Library subscribes to hundreds of databases.
Now let's look at how to choose the best database for your topic. . .