What to look for
- Vera Browse 'Databases by Subject' to select the best database for your topic. Or do a multi-search in 'Find articles on your topic.'
- Off-campus access You need certificates to access most databases from off-campus.
- Database search tips Learn tips and tricks on how to search online databases efficiently.
- Citing sources Learn about citation styles and tools to use for citing sources properly.
Tutorials
- Video Tutorials: Getting to Full Text Watch videos that cover how to get to full text via databases and other full text tools.
- Video Tutorials: Database Search Tips A 5-part series of short videos that explain techniques for effective database searching.
- Video Tutorials: Deciphering Citations A 1-minute video on citation styles and various citation formats.
- SFX FAQ Provides information about what SFX is and how to use it.
Why use articles?
- To find highly specific information on a topic: articles are often the first place where new research is discussed.
- To see many publication types: journals, magazines, newspapers, chapters in books, conference proceedings, technical reports, trade journals, etc.
- Articles published in scholarly journals are usually peer-reviewed.
Library databases vs. Google video
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How to find articles
Finding articles on your topic is a 3-step process. If you are looking for a specific article, see step 3.
1. Identify a database.
- Article databases index thousands of journals within a certain subject area by the author, title and subject of each article.
- To find the right database, browse Vera's 'Databases by Subject' category to see librarians' recommendations in our Research Guides.
- Or use Vera's multi-search (in Find articles on your topic) to query several databases at once in broad subject categories (use Interdisciplinary if you're not sure which subject area to choose):
Try a search in Vera here:
Find articles on your topic
Interdisciplinary (4 databases)
Art & Architecture (6 databases)
Engineering (7 databases)
Humanities (11 databases)
Management & Business (5 databases)
Science (6 databases)
Social Sciences (9 databases)
Art & Architecture (6 databases)
Engineering (7 databases)
Humanities (11 databases)
Management & Business (5 databases)
Science (6 databases)
Social Sciences (9 databases)
2. Search the database.
- Use important keywords or subject words that describe your topic.
- Scan your results to identify citations that seem relevant or interesting.
3. Get the full text of the article.
- In some databases you can link to the full text directly or via SFX.
- If the database you're searching has an SFX button
or "Get this - MIT" link, click it. Other options for getting to the full text of an article include: - Use the SFX Full Text Finder. This software lets you enter a citation to see if MIT has online access to that article.
- Search Barton: the MIT Libraries catalog to see if MIT owns the journal either in print or online.
- Vera lists journals that are available online, but not those in print format. Search Vera by keyword for the journal title you need.
- Be aware: some online/electronic resources are only available in Vera, and some are only in Barton, so search both to be comprehensive.
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Library Services
- Interlibrary Borrowing Request articles from journals not owned by MIT (for MIT research only).
- PDF of Articles from LSA The Library Storage Annex will deliver PDFs of 50 pages or less. A free service to MIT faculty, staff and students.
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