If you are starting with a complete citation already (perhaps one you got from a bibliography) and want to find out if the article is available in one of our online journals or if we own a print copy, you can check Our Journal List linked on the homepage.

Type in the journal title to see which library-subscribed database contains the full-text of the journal for the year you need or check the Library Catalog if it isn't available online to see if the library has a print issue.

Click for the electronic indexes the library subscribes to.

STEP ONE: Magazine, newspaper and journal articles can be searched for by topic using periodical indexes listed under Articles, Indexes, Databases on the Library's hompage. The USA Libraries subscribe to more than a hundred different periodical indexes. Ask at the Reference Desk to find out which one is most appropriate for your topic. There may be several indexes that would be excellent. The Reference Librarian can tell you which one would be best to start with and how to proceed with your research. You may also call the Reference Desk at 251-460-7025 or even send an email to webref@jaguar1.usouthal.edu to ask for help.

STEP TWO: Try Gale/InfoTrac's Academic OneFile or Ebsco's Academic Search Premier. These are "general" academic indexes that cover periodical articles in many different fields as well as current events and controversies. The extra benefit of these indexes is that they contain many full-text articles. LexisNexis is great for fulltext newspaper articles. They are all available remotely to registered students, faculty and staff with your last name and first two letters of your first name(no space) and your JAG number.

(There is a really neat interactive tutorial by Chris Niemeyer, University of Missouri-St. Louis, on how to use Infotrac's Expanded Academic ASAP.)

STEP THREE:

If the Reference Librarian is not available and you have information needs in a specific discipline go to the Articles, Indexes, Databases webpage. Scroll down below the "Frequently Used" list to the alphabetical list of databases. Choose the "about" buttons next to the names of the indexes that sound appropriatate to your topic to find one that sounds right for your project. The indexes are also grouped into broad subject categories between the frequently used and the alphabetical list.

STEP FOUR:

Different databases indicate in different ways if the fulltext of articles are available. Here are examples of how EBSCO and InfoTrac databases make that indication. You may also find "Linked FullText" which when clicked will transport you out of one database and into another in which the fulltext is available. Pay careful attention to the screen; look for icons or words that tell you how to get to the actual article. Sometimes it will take several clicks to find the article--and sometimes it just doesn't work. That's when you need to call the Ref. Desk for help.

or

STEP FIVE:

If the article you want is NOT available full-text online in the database you are searching, then click on "Check for Fulltext" link at the bottom of the abstract if it is available. This will search to find if that particular journal has articles that are fulltext in another subscribed database, subscribed journal or open access journal.

STEP SIX:
If Step Five does not show a link to another database make note of the title, author, full title of the journal, date, volume, issue, and page numbers for the articles you want(or print a copy of the citations). Consult the Libraries' SOUTHcat Catalog using a journal title search and type in full title of the journal without "The" "A" or "An" at the beginning, but including all others. This should tell you if we have the journal in the library. Scroll down through the record till you see this area. (Note: Journal title abbreviations usually are not enough--you need the full title. Ask for periodical title abbreviation guide at the Reference Desk if you only have an abbrieviation.) When items are retrieved, check each one thoroughly until you find the volume and issue number you need. .

Current print issues (blue) are on the Second floor, South side, in alphabetical order.

Older print issues (pink) are put in book bindings and are kept on the Third floor, South side, organized by Library of Congress call #s. Remember to write down the call # if the year/volume you want is there.

For some years we may only have Microfilm (greenish) which is kept on the Second Floor, South side, in the microfilm cabinets filed alphabetically. There is a Help Desk adjacent to this area with a staff person to help you use the microfilm.

STEP SEVEN:The last step is to actually find the article. The University Library print journals are on the 2nd and 3rd floors. See above.

If you cannot find a journal, you need ask the Reference staff for help.

Copy machines are located on the First and Second Floor, North sides. You will need a TRACcard, purchased at the Circulation Desk, to make copies of the article you need.