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. See Connect from on and off-campus for help.
- 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):
2. Search the database. See Database Search Tips
- 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.