Finding Journal Articles
Articles are a good source of criticism on a particular work or comparing/contrasting two or more works. Scholarly criticism usually ranges from 5-30 pages long. What database or index you want to use depends on what kind of research you are doing. We have a number of tools at your disposal, but each one has particular strengths and weaknesses, so I have divided them by type of research.
To access these databases from off-campus, you will be promted for your username and password. This is the same username/password you have set up for your UIS email account. For more information, see Student Mail.
I just need a few recent articles | I need scholarly articles from core journals | I want to do a comprehensive search on my topic | I want to see the scope of scholarship for a particular year | Finding the Full Text of Articles
I just need a few recent articles...
Try one of our general/interdisciplinary databases that offers (at least) some full text articles.
Academic Search Premier - See Help on Searching Academic Search Premier for more information
Years covered ? - present, starting date varies depending on the periodical, but on average 1990 or 1994, and the earliest around 1984; updated daily
Subjects covered all subjects, from popular and trade magazines, and scholarly peer-reviewed journals
When best to use looking for some recent articles on any subject, or just need an article on a subject quickly; can limit search to peer-reviewed sources; more periodicals indexed than Expanded Academic ASAP or Periodicals Abstracts
Don't use it for comprehensive searches on a particular subject
Selective/comprehensive coverage of subjects selective
Number of periodicals indexed around 8,000 journals and magazines; around 440 scholarly titles strictly for literature
Expanded Academic ASAP - See Help on Searching Expanded Academic ASAP for more information
Years covered ? - present, starting date varies depending on the periodical, but on average 1989, and at best 1980; updated daily
Subjects covered all subjects, from popular and trade magazines, and scholarly peer-reviewed journals
When best to use looking for some recent articles on any subject, or just need an article on a subject quickly; better subject indexing than Academic Search Premier; can limit search to peer-reviewed sources
Don't use it for comprehensive searches on a particular subject
Selective/comprehensive coverage of subjects selective
Number of periodicals indexed over 1,500 scholarly, trade and general interest periodicals
Wilson SelectPlus
Years covered 1994-present; updated monthly
Subjects covered science, humanities, education and business
When best to use looking for a few, recent full-text articles from core scholarly journals, news magazines, and trade magazines
Don't use it for comprehensive searches, older information
Selective/comprehensive coverage of subjects selective
Number of periodicals indexed 1,400
I need scholarly articles from core journals...
Try either Arts & Humanities Citation Index, JSTOR, or an explicator in print.
Arts & Humanities Citation Index
Years covered 1987-present; updated monthly
Subjects covered all humanities subjects: archaeology, architecture, art, Asian studies, classics, dance, folklore, history, language, linguistics, literary reviews, literature, music, philosophy, poetry, radio, television & film, religion, theater; indexes citations used in articles
When best to use want to gauge the popularity of article by number of articles that cite it; have specific keywords, to keyword search titles of articles and authors, and some author-supplied abstracts (no subject headings) of a large number of humanities journals
Don't use it for general subjects
Selective/comprehensive coverage of subjects comprehensive
Number of periodicals indexed 1,144 journal titles covered comprehensively, and another 6,800 selectively for relevant articles
JSTOR
Years covered ? - starting year varies depending on the periodical, going back to the first issue, then they include all the issues up to either 3 or 5 years ago; updated annually
Subjects covered arts and social sciences
When best to use have a fairly broad topic and don't mind getting older articles
Don't use it for comprehensive subject searching
Selective/comprehensive coverage of subjects selective
Number of periodicals over 300, with 48 journals specific to literature List of literary journals available full text in JSTOR
Guide to British Poetry Explication REF PR311.M34 - selected explications of poets and individual poems, no annotations; also have guides to drama, short stories, and American poets
I want to do a comprehensive search on my topic...
Try MLA International Bibliography (1963-present online, back to 1921 in print).
MLA International Bibliography - see Help with MLA
Years covered 1963-present; updated monthly
Subjects covered literature, language, linguistics and folklore; indexes journal articles, series, monographs, dissertations, bibliographies, proceedings and other materials
When best to use want to do a comprehensive search on literature subjects, though subject access is not consistent for 1960's and 1970's citations
Don't use it for when need a few citations on a general search
Selective/comprehensive coverage of subjects comprehensive
Number of journals indexed over 3,000
Print equivalent in print indexes INDEX P1.M642 1921-1963
If you are researching a medieval or Renaissance author or work, try:
Iter - Gateway to the Middle Ages & Renaissance -- access to 8 different databases covering medieval and Renaissance literature. Main journal article index is the Iter Bibliography, indexing over 100 journals.
I want to see the scope of scholarship for a particular year...
Try an annual print index. They offer highlights of the year's best works on a number of authors or genres.
American Literary Scholarship PS3.A47 1963-present Level 4 - annual series, with 20+ page essays on sources for selected authors and time periods
Annual Bibliography of English Language & Literature 1920-present INDEX PE51.M6x - comprehensive, but awkward to use other than for an individual author
Year's Work in English Studies PE58.E6 Level 4 - bibliographies in essay format, we have 1962-1994
Finding the Full Text of Articles
If the article you located wasn't available full text in the database, use the Journals @ UIS to determine whether it is available in another one of the UIS Library's full text databases or on level 3 in print or microform.
Type in the name of the periodical in the box labeled periodical name and click the search button. The Journals @ UIS will list those databases that offer the full text of the particular journal, noted by a date range, as well as the library's print and microfilm holdings. Click on the name of the database to jump to the database, where you will have to re-do your search. Most of the time you will see -->title in the middle of the entry. Click on the word title to jump to a list of issues of the periodical, and from there you can browse the table of contents to find your article.
Note: Occasionally the Journals @ UIS is mistaken about whether the title is available online. If you spot an error, please let me know by sending me email.
If the UIS library does not have access to the periodical you need, then fill out the Interlibrary Loan form for periodicals. A photocopy of the article will be mailed to the address on the form. Please allow 1-3 weeks for delivery.
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