Article Exploration
The University of Arizona Library
Article Exploration
Your name: _________________________________________________________________________________
To get started on researching your topic, you’ll need to spend some time looking for resources in the Library’s
catalog or databases.
Before you start searching, you’ll need to take a look at your research topic to identify keywords.
Write your research topic / question here:
________________________________________________________________________________________
1. Look at your research topic and write down four keywords that you can use to search for information. If you
are having trouble coming up with four keywords, think of possible synonyms for the words that you already
have listed (ex: teenagers or adolescents)
_________________________________________
__________________________________________
_________________________________________
__________________________________________
Next you will need to create a couple of search strategies.
Some basics in creating Search Strategies:
Phase searching is usually the default:
single mothers (search as two word phrase)
If you want to combine two terms or concepts use and:
Ex: gender and family (search as two separate words but both must be in article)
If you want to search different endings of words, use *
Ex: teen* (searches teen, teens, teenage, teenager, teenagers)
If you want to search separate words close to each other use n#
Ex: education n5 success
If you want to retrieve more results, you can use the word or and put ( ) around the terms you are or-ing:
Ex: media violence and (teen* or adolescen*)
2. Use your keywords and what you have learned about creating search strategies to write down two possible
searches for your topic:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
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Article Exploration
The University of Arizona Library
3. Now go the Library homepage at www.library.arizona.edu and click on Article & Database Searching.
This will lead to a screen with links to many different indexes.
Under Popular all-purpose Databases click on the link for Academic Search Premier.
Once in Academic Search Premier, type in one of your search strategies.
Ex: A search strategy on Barbie and girls and image would look like the example below:
Write down which strategy you used and how many articles you got.
________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Skim through the list of citations and look at the abstracts for the articles that your searches are retrieving –
are they addressing your particular topic?
□ yes
□ no
Do you need to revise your search strategy? (i.e. do you need to add or remove terms from your search string
or do you need to try to use synonyms, etc.)?
□ yes
□ no
Write your revised search here:
________________________________________________________________________________________
Do you need to revise your topic? If so, how (i.e. do you need to make your topic more narrow or broad, etc.)
Write your revised topic here:
________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Write down the following information for two articles you think might help you with your paper.
Author of the article (if there is one): ______________________________________________________
Title of the article: ____________________________________________________________________
Title of the journal: ____________________________________________________________________
Volume and date of the journal: ___________________________________________________________
□ yes
□ no
If the article is not full text, do we have it in the Library? □ yes
□ no
Is the article full-text? (Does it say full-text or PDF?)
Write down the call number if we do: _____________________________________________________
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Article Exploration
The University of Arizona Library
Author of the article (if there is one): ______________________________________________________
Title of the article: ____________________________________________________________________
Title of the journal: ____________________________________________________________________
Volume and date of the journal: ___________________________________________________________
Is the article full-text? (Does it say full-text or PDF?)
□ yes
□ no
If the article is not full text, do we have it in the Library?
Write down the call number if we do: _____________________________________________________
6. Write down the following information for an article that you will not use for your paper.
Author of the article (if there is one): ______________________________________________________
Title of the article: ____________________________________________________________________
Title of the journal: ____________________________________________________________________
Volume and date of the journal: ___________________________________________________________
Briefly explain why you do not find this article useful:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Once you have looked through Academic Search Premier, go to the Library’s homepage at
www.library.arizona.edu and click on Article & Database Searching.
Next, click the dropdown arrow next to Find Databases in your SUBJECT area.
Browse through the subjects listed.
7. Select two of the subjects that you think relate to your topic and list them here:
_________________________________________
__________________________________________
Finally, click on one of the subjects and use what you have learned about creating search strategies to explore
a new database or two.
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Article Exploration
The University of Arizona Library
Other Useful Databases
Look at the alphabetical list under Find Databases by TITLE to locate the following databases. You can also
click the All Databases link to see a complete list of Library databases.

CQ Researcher – a good source for research about broad contemporary issues. Its good for background and
current information on an issue and it gives a pro-con essay on each topic. It is full-text.
Do concept searching.
For example:

adoption
gay marriage
hazing
stem cell research
illegal immigration
endangered species
InfoTrac OneFile – another good multidisciplinary index with lots of full-text. Do keyword searching, like in
Academic Search Premier.

Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe – a good source for full-text newspaper articles from major newspapers
around the world and from many U.S. newspapers. This source is good for any current news topic and for
editorials. Choose General News and Major Papers. Other good sections are World News, U.S. News and
University News.

Specialized Subject Indexes – the Library has hundreds of specialized subject indexes. To find them choose
Articles & Database Searching and then browse in Find Databases in your SUBJECT area:
Some examples are:
Education – ERIC
Ethnic issues – Ethnic Newswatch
Health – Health Reference Center, Alt-Health Watch
History – Historical Abstracts, America: History & Life
Philosophy or Ethics – Philosopher’s Index
Political science or Public Policy – PAIS—Public Affairs Information Service
Psychology – PsycInfo
Science and Technology – Applied Science and Technology
Sociology – Sociological Abstracts
Women’s Studies – GenderWatch, Contemporary Women’s Issues
If you need help finding information for your paper:

Ask for help at one of the Library’s reference desks in the Main Library Information Commons or the
Science-Engineering Library.

Go online to the Library’s web site and Ask A Librarian
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