Information Research Module
SEARCHING FOR SCIENTIFIC
JOURNAL ARTICLES
using the
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
http://www.doaj.org
© University of Guelph 2012
In this module: How to…
1.  Understand my research task
2.  Develop an effective search strategy
3.  Search and retrieve articles from the
Directory of Open Access Journals
(DOAJ) http://www.doaj.org, a database
containing “free, full text, quality controlled
scientific and scholarly journals, covering
all subjects and many languages”
© University of Guelph 2012
1. What is my task?
  Has my teacher given me a specific
journal article to retrieve and analyze?
OR
  Do I have to find and analyze a journal
article on a topic that my teacher has
assigned or that I have chosen?
© University of Guelph 2012
1. What is my task?
  Has my teacher given me a specific
journal article to retrieve and analyze?
OR
  Do I have to find and analyze a journal
article on a topic that my teacher has
assigned or that I have chosen?
 The answer will determine how you
search the journal database DOAJ
© University of Guelph 2012
If I know what article I need
  Retrieving the article is very straightforward. I conduct a simple title search
(see Part 3A)
If I have been assigned a topic or
must choose my own
  Finding an appropriate article requires
a bit of detective work. Patience,
planning and critical thinking are key
(continue to Part 2 through to Part 3B)
© University of Guelph 2012
2. Developing a search strategy
Search engines are fickle. You need to
construct a search strategy that allows you
to be systematic.
A.  Identify key concepts in your topic
B.  Expand keyword list (use chart as guide)
C.  Remember truncation, phrase searching
D.  Understand how the search engine uses
AND, OR, NOT
  How keywords are combined will influence
what is retrieved.
© University of Guelph 2012
2A. Identify key concepts
TOPIC (e.g.): Using gene doping to enhance human performance OR
Key
Words
Related
Terms
Broader
Terms
Narrower
Terms
Concept 1
A
N
D
Concept 2
© University of Guelph 2012
Break topic into key concepts.
Choose keyword(s) that best
describe each concept.
Enter into table.
2A. Identify key concepts
TOPIC (e.g.): Using gene doping to enhance human performance OR
Key
Words
Concept 1
© University of Guelph 2012
Broader
Terms
Narrower
Terms
gene doping
A
N
D
Concept 2
Related
Terms
human
performance
Break topic into key concepts.
Choose keyword(s) that best
describe each concept.
Enter into table.
2A. Identify key concepts
TOPIC (e.g.): Using gene doping to enhance human performance OR
Key
Words
Concept 1
gene doping
Concept 2
human
performance
A
N
D
© University of Guelph 2012
Related
Terms
Broader
Terms
Narrower
Terms
Brainstorm concepts.
Add terms that are
related (synonyms),
broader & narrower.
These will help you
to expand or narrow
your search, as
necessary.
2A. Identify key concepts
TOPIC (e.g.): Using gene doping to enhance human performance OR
Key
Words
Broader
Terms
Narrower
Terms
Concept 1
gene doping
gene therapy
genetic
intervention
doping
ACTN3
ACE gene
Concept 2
human
performance
athletic
performance
sport
sports
sport*
muscle
efficiency
A
N
D
© University of Guelph 2012
Related
Terms
2C. Truncation
  Truncation allows you to search for
all variations of a root with one entry
  Different databases use different
truncation symbols
  Use the asterisk (*) in DOAJ
  e.g., sport* retrieves all records that
contain any of the words “sport,”
“sports,” “sportsmanship,” etc.
© University of Guelph 2012
Phrase searching
In DOAJ, if you put more than one word in
a search box the database will retrieve only
those documents in which this precise
phrase appears somewhere in the record.
For example,
human performance
“...is a means of gene-c control for human performance, including sport, gene expression, molecular interac-ons...” © University of Guelph 2012
“…simplis-c random mobility models for algorithm design and performance evalua-on...In ARP, humans are classified based on…” A Caution
  NOTE: This approach to phrase
searching is not usual.
 In most databases, if you wish to
conduct a phrase search you must
put the words in quotation marks,
e.g., “human performance”
© University of Guelph 2012
2D. Understand AND, OR, NOT
AND: Narrows your search
retrieves records that contain all keywords
that have been combined with “AND”
OR: Broadens your search
retrieves records that contain at least one of
the keywords that have been combined with
OR
NOT: Narrows your search (use cautiously)
removes all records that contain the
keywords that have been “NOT-ed” out
© University of Guelph 2012
Using AND
When two concepts are connected by
AND, the computer will retrieve only
documents that contain BOTH concepts
gene doping human performance gene doping AND human performance © University of Guelph 2012
Using OR
When two concepts are connected by
OR, the computer will retrieve
documents that contain EITHER
concept
gene doping human performance gene doping OR human performance © University of Guelph 2012
Using NOT
When a concept is preceded by NOT
the computer will exclude documents
that include that concept
gene doping gene doping NOT human performance © University of Guelph 2012
human performance 3. Searching DOAJ
  The Directory of Open Access Journals
(DOAJ) is a database containing
scientific and scholarly journals on a
broad range of topics
  All articles have been reviewed by
experts in the field and are of high
quality (peer-reviewed)
  Access to the articles is free of charge
© University of Guelph 2012
Conducting your search
1.  Go to the Directory of Open Access
Journals (DOAJ) by clicking on this
link http://www.doaj.org and
2.  Search for journal articles using the
second search box (i.e., “Articles”)
  Title search ➔ see 3A
  Keyword search ➔ see 3B
© University of Guelph 2012
DOAJ
Homepage
Search
for
journal
articles
using
this
search
engine
© University of Guelph 2012
Journal Article
Search Options:
Search by phrase
Combine keywords
(using AND, OR, NOT)
Limit search to
specific field(s)
© University of Guelph 2012
Enter
keyword(s),
choose
options
(if desired)
and
proceed
with search
3A. If I know what article I need
1.  Type the title of the article into the
first search box
2.  From the drop-down menu at the
right of the search box choose “Title”
3.  Press “Search articles”
4.  Scan the hit list for the correct article
5.  Click FULL TEXT to download pdf
© University of Guelph 2012
To search for the article
Cieszczyk, P., et al. (2009). Gene doping in
modern sport. Biology of Exercise, 5(1), 5-14
 Type title of
ARTICLE
(phrase search)
 Choose “Title”
from drop-down
menu
 Press “Search
articles”
© University of Guelph 2012
Click on
FULL TEXT
to download
article to
your
desktop
3B. If I have a topic to search
[Navigate to DOAJ as before]
1.  From your keyword chart, select
words/phrases you’ll use for each
concept
2.  Enter these into the search boxes
(one concept per line)
3.  Press “Search articles”
© University of Guelph 2012
2A. Identify key concepts
TOPIC (e.g.): Using gene doping to enhance human performance OR
Key
Words
Broader
Terms
Concept 1
gene doping
gene therapy
genetic
intervention
doping
Concept 2
human
performance
athletic
performance
sport
sports
sport*
A
N
D
© University of Guelph 2012
Related
Terms
Narrower
Terms
In my first
ACTN3
search
I will
ACE gene
use these
phrases to
describe the
two main
muscle
concepts
of my
efficiency
topic
Begin broad
(phrase search)
Do not limit
by field
© University of Guelph 2012
This search
was too
narrow
© University of Guelph 2012
4.  Read through hit list to find articles
that are “on target” for your topic
5.  If too few or no hits, repeat search
using broader or related terms; if too
many hits or they’re “off target,”
repeat search using narrower terms
6.  Continue refining your search until
you are satisfied with what you have
retrieved
7.  Click FULL TEXT to download article
© University of Guelph 2012
“gene
doping”
AND
“human
performance”
was too
narrow
Expand search
by using a
broader term
© University of Guelph 2012
5 Hits
Including the
“gene doping”
one found
through the
title search.
Click on
VIEW RECORD
for abstract
and other
information.
© University of Guelph 2012
To Download
the Article
All I need to do
is click on
FULL TEXT
Background
Includes definition
of “gene doping”
Comprehensive
Review of the
Literature
“latest applications
of molecular biology
in medicine”
Publication year
© University of Guelph 2012
Here is my
article
on the topic
of gene
doping to
improve
athletic
performance
What are my next steps?
  Read the article carefully, critically
  Respond to the questions in the student
activity worksheet
http://www.lib.uoguelph.ca/research/subject_&_course_guides/SPOT/components/documents/student_template.pdf
  Review the module on paraphrasing and
plagiarism to improve my writing
http://www.lib.uoguelph.ca/research/subject_&_course_guides/SPOT/components/documents/paraphrase.pdf
© University of Guelph 2012