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Home > Research Help > Earth and Environmental Sciences > Journal Articles
 | Scientists discuss their research through journal articles. Finding good, high-quality journal articles to support your research is a process that can be both fun and frustrating. Searching comercial databases can be more challenging than searching Google or other WWW search engines. It is also important to search beyond the Web to find authoritative, high-quality scientific information for your research papers. This guide provides information on general tips, how to find an article once you have the citation, links to a list of database that are good places to find information in earth and environmental sciences, and information on how to get articles delivered to you. |
| | To find journal articles you need to search indexes. Online indexes are called databases. Each database producer designs their databases slightly different than their competitors. Some are more intuitive and easier to search than others. However, there are certain things all good searchers do before begining a search in any database. - Figure out what you're looking for. Are you looking for a few good articles to support your research? Are you looking for an expert in a field? Are you doing exhaustive research to write a thesis or dissertation? Are you looking for physical properties? Based on what you're trying to find limiting your search terms to specific fields will yield more precise results.
- When doing an author search, note how the database enters the author's names into the database. Each database producer does this slightly different. If there is a thesaurs of authors names this is usually a good place to start your search.
- If the database has a search history feature it can often be better to build your search in stages then combine them in the search history. This allows you to mix and match your terms together without having to do a lot of retyping.
- Confused about where to start? Not having any luck finding what you're looking for? Have way to much and don't know how to narrow your topic down? Contact your departmental librarian.
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| | | Not all database have the full text of the article right there for you. Some journals do not have electronic editions at all so you need to find the paper copy in the library. Finally, JHU does not subscibe to every journal that is indexed in every database we own so you will need to get some articles from some other libraries. - To find out if we have the full text of an article when you're in a database, follow the links. Look for the JHU SFX link in the database to find full text.
The button generally looks like this  . This link will help you to move between database, the full text of the journal, and the JHU Libraries catalog.
- If there is no JHU SFX button in the database you were searching you will need to check the JHU Libraries catalog to see if we own the source that contains your article. We don't own every journal that is indexed in every database that we own.
- You can find journal articles by searching Google, Yahoo or some other WWW search engine. However, that doesn't always mean you can find the full text of the article. Sometimes those links don't take you to the actual article but to someone else citation of the article. If it does take you to the journal that still doesn't gaurentee that you will get the full text. At this point most search engines still can not search below a certain level of a web site. Do not count on the WWW to provide you with all the information you need to do your research paper.
- Here's a list of science and engineering journals the library subscribes to electronically. The list is only updated occasionally so it's always best to check the JHU Libraries catalog for the most recent information, but sometimes, a list is nice.
- Need help? Contact your departmental librarian?
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| | Because the study of earth and environmental sciences is comprised of so many different fields of study, there is not one database that indexes all the journals in these fields. The library subscribes to over 400 different databases. Which databases are good for earth and environmenatal scientists? Here's a list to get you started. You can also use HERMES, the Hopkins Electronic Resource Management Service. Having trouble deciding where to start, want to know more about a particular database, or need help searching a database? Contact your departmental librarian. Are you looking for old information that isn't indexed in the years covered by a database? Tips on finding older science and technical information. Back to top |
| | | You found an article, you found the journal in the JHU Libraries catalog, but the holdings record says the volume is at LSC. If the article you need is in a journal that is at LSC you can request to have the article scanned and emailed to you. This service is fast and free to you. Details. Faculty and graduate students can use Eisenhower Express to have journal articles delivered to their Homewood campus offices. Details Back to top | | | | | | |
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