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Library Guide to Finding Articles

Finding an article in OneSearch

OneSearch is a large source of full text articles and can be a great resource whether you are newly researching a topic or have a specific citation. The system ingests records from the library's licensed commercial databases and e-journals, publisher websites, and open access repositories. Users can find citations and full text for millions of articles, as well as book chapters and reference entries.

By default, OneSearch displays results for content that users can get as full text online from the library. Log in with your NetID when prompted to maximize search results and to access account features.

Expand your search by clicking on the toggle Include results with citation only under Refine Results.

Activating this search can sometimes find immediate full text options both inside and beyond the library's collections. When full text is not offered, the system can provide request forms for interlibrary loan services to efficiently obtain the article from another source.

It is recommended you include citation only results if using OneSearch to find more recent scholarship. The library may not have subscriptions to the most current content, particularly as we have cut several major ejournal packages in recent years (such as Springer and Sage in 2021, and Elsevier for 2024).

Tips for looking up citations in OneSearch:

If you have a specific citation in hand, here are some ways to use the system to obtain the material.

Full text

The brief record will provide a direct link to a pdf of the article if available. You can also check for availability options by clicking on the article title to access the full record. 

OneSearch record with pdf in brief record

OneSearch records display two types of full text availability:

Online Availability

Full text access from one of the library's licensed sources, including publisher sites and aggregator databases (e.g. Academic Search Complete).

Physical Availability

Indicates if the library owns the print version of the journal in which the article was published. However, the system cannot automatically check the inventory to verify whether the library has the exact issue containing the article. If you would like a print version, check the Library Owns description in the record, browse the available items through the Description drop-down, or scroll through the item records. 

Physical holding for article

Note: Due to the way items are inventoried in our system, Description may be the most effective for filtering results.

No Full Text

The “No full text” indicator on a record means no online access is found within the library's collections. You will only find "no full text" records in OneSearch by selecting Include results with citation only under Refine Results. Users may also encounter these records when trying to connect to full text from library databases and other resources.

A "no full text" record may present you with these options:

1) An online copy. These pdfs and full text links are pulled in through enrichment services the library has integrated with OneSearch.

Article record no full text but pdf

2) A physical copy. The library may only have a physical copy of an article, particularly if it has an older publication date. Physical Availability indicates whether the library owns the print version of the journal in which the article was published. It cannot check whether the issue containing the article is in the library's inventory. Browse the items through the Description drop-down or scroll through the item records.

No full text result physical item

Physical holding for no full text article

3) If no options are available, place an interlibrary loan request to receive an electronic copy of the article. For your convenience, an interlibrary loan form link displays and pre-populates with details from the record you are coming from. Fulfillment takes 1-4 days.  

FYI, should the library have a physical holding for a journal, the interlibrary loan request option will display a bit differently. Use this route if the library does not offer the volume containing the article you are looking for.

Should the interlibrary loan form fail to display, access the form here and fill it out manually. See Get the item through Interlibrary loan for details about services and timelines.

Finding an article via a Library Database

Many library databases are a source of full text and abstracting information for journal articles, book chapters, and other types of publications. When a database cannot directly provide the full text, most are configured to help users locate full text sources within the library’s collections using link resolver technology. Look for a link labeled “Link to article” in most databases.

Database record with link to article

If library services can find a pdf in one of our collections or an open access source, a download page will display to you.

Journal of hydrology pdf download

Should the library lack the full text of an article, the No full text options will be provided.

Get the article through Interlibrary loan

Interlibrary loan requests may be submitted from records in OneSearch and library databases if full text is not available.

A blank request form may be accessed from Log onto Illiad

Articles are delivered electronically within 1-4 days and are available to the patron 24/7 for 30 days from the date of receipt. They can be viewed, printed, pasted into documents, saved to disk or downloaded to a personal computer.

Tip: Use the search box below if you have a DOI or PMID from a citation. This quick lookup tool allows you to quickly determine if the article is available from a library source and place an ILL request if we do not have the item.

Lookup a journal article by DOI or PMID

 

Ebooks

It is not possible to receive complete ebooks via interlibrary loan. However, we can fill requests for individual chapters. Consider recommending an ebook purchase if a print copy or electronic supply of an individual chapter through interlibrary loan won’t meet your needs. We cannot acquire single user ebook versions from retailers like amazon, but we will try to locate an institutionally licensed version through a supplier or publisher. 


See Interlibrary Loan Policies for more information about use and timelines for interlibrary loan services.

See Request a Purchase to recommend an electronic format for a purchase.