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Research Without Pain: 2d. Find Articles

Research can be fun if you follow these simple steps.

Interlibrary Loan

If you come across an article you need for your research, and the OWHL does not provide full-text access to it in print or electronic format, stop by the Welcome desk to request it through our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service.

ILL requests can take up to 2 weeks to arrive, so plan ahead! See any librarian for help and more information.

Quick Links

Off-campus access

Off-campus access to the article databases requires your PA I.D. number, which is printed on the back of your PA I.D. card.

Note: Access to article databases is a privilege available only for currently registered students and currently employed faculty and staff.

Choosing an e-Resource

Subscription e-Resouces provide you with 24-7 access to magazine, journal and newspaper articles via the Internet.   But how do you know where to go?

Is your project for a class?  Find e-Resources associated with an academic discipline by using the Databases: A to Z list and choosing your subject of interest from the drop-down list.

Do you already know what e-Resource you want to use?  Find it fast by using the  E-resources A-Z list. 

Do you have a citation to a specific article?  Find out if we offer access to the article in print or electronic form by using the Full Text Finder.

Popular Magazines vs. Academic Journals

Don't know whether you should be looking for a scholarly journal or a popular magazine?

Check out this short video describing differences between scholarly and popular articles.

To see the many different kinds of sources you may find online or in the library, check out the "Know Your Sources" webpage put together by Portland Community College. 

UnderstandingFormats

Not every article that you find will be available in "full-text."  Depending on the database you are using, articles may be displayed in different formats:

  • Index: Includes only the article’s citation information (e.g. author, title, date, volume, etc.). Neither a summary, nor the full-text of the article are available.
  • Abstract: Includes the article’s citation information and a brief summary of the article's content. Abstracts do not include the full-text article.
  • Full-text: Includes an electronic copy of the actual article. Depending on the database, the article may be available in HTML format, .pdf format (displays the article as it originally appeared in the magazine with graphics and pictures), or both.

Search Google Scholar

Google Scholar provides an easy way to search for scholarly literature across many disciplines and resources.

Google Scholar Search