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BIOL/ESCI 304 - Ecology

A guide for BIOL/ESCI 304 students researching environmental topics in the library and on the internet.

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Searching for Articles Using Research Databases

Tips for searching for an article

  • Use one of the databases listed below.
  • Check the home page of this subject guide for information about choosing words to use for your search terms.

I found an article.  How do I find more?

  • Check for keywords. There might be synonyms that will help you find more articles. There might also be keywords that will help you narrow your search.
  • Look through the article's references. You should be able to find citations to older, helpful articles there.
  • Search databases for more articles by the same author(s). The author likely has published other articles on the topic.
  • Look for articles that cited the article you found. Check Google Scholar, Scopus, or Web of Science. These resources include how many articles have cited your article and may include links to some of the articles that used your article as a reference. Note: the number of citations can vary between Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science so it could be helpful to check them all.
  • If you have a couple of weeks to a couple of months before your project is due, consider signing up for a search alerts or table of contents alerts. Many research databases allow you to save your search and have links to new articles sent to you — and you may be able to incorporate the latest research into your project! Note that this usually means that you have to set up a  free, personal account with each database.

Below are databases and subject categories you might want to start with:

Helpful Research Databases

Helpful Subject Categories of Research Databases

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