How Do I Find an Article?

To find magazine, journal and newspaper articles, search databases on the Seneca Libraries web site.

The Seneca Libraries pays for subscriptions to research databases that contain the same newspaper, magazine, and journal articles that you can find in print.

To search several databases at once:

  1. On the Seneca Libraries home page, under Find Articles and More, click Search Options.

  2. Under Article Databases by Subject, click the drop-down arrow and select a subject area that suits your topic.

    • If you are not sure which subject area would be best or if you want general (not technical or specialized information), select General/All Subjects.

    • If you need to find Canadian (not American or international information), select Canadian.

  3. After selecting a subject area, you will see a list of databases. Many of these databases will include journal, magazine and newspaper articles. Read the descriptions to help you select a database.

    • When you type words from your topic in the database search box, the database will search article information to find your topic words.

    • In most cases you will be able to access a full-text article that you can print, email or download.

 

Here is a Quick Guide to help you begin your search:

1. Choose important words or phrases from your research topic.

When you search in a database, use these words or phrases as "keywords" for your search.

For example, in the research question:
How has the Internet affected the book industry?

the keywords are:

Internet
book industry

2. Join your keywords with and. Most databases recognize and as a "search operator" that joins search words from a topic.

For the research question: How has the Internet affected the book industry?

you would enter the following "search statement" in the search box:

Internet and book industry

3. The database will find articles that contain both the word Internet and the phrase book industry.