Library

Getting the text of an article from a citation

Once you have a citation (information about an article and where it is printed), you will often want to find the text of the article to read it in full. There are several options for finding the article text. You can:

• From within a database, check to see if there is a "Search for full text" link.
• Check to see if the USF library owns a copy of the journal.
• Check to see if the text of the article is available through any of the library's online database subscriptions (like ProQuest or InfoTrac).
• Check to see if the library has access to an electronic version of the journal.
• Ask the USF library to help you obtain the text via interlibrary loan.

Click here for a short video demonstration.

Click on one of the options above for details. Any questions may be directed to the reference desk at 815-740-5041 or 800-726-6500. Questions may be submitted via email at refdesk@stfrancis.edu.

 

 

 

Check for a "Search for full text" link within a database

• When searching an online database, many times, a citation will be returned without the full text immediately attached. Click into the record for that citation.
• Look for a link like "Search for full text".
• If found, click the link. A new window will open.
• If the article is available in another database, that information will be displayed.
• Look for a link called "Article".
• Clicking the "Article" link should open a new window to another database with direct access to the article....no searching!
• If "Journal" or a database name is supplied, but no link to "Article", click and search for the article in the new window.

Check to see if the USF library owns a copy of the journal

• Go to the USF online catalog (click online catalog on any library web page).
• Click on "Start of Magazine/Journal Title".
• Type in the title of the journal that contains the article for which you are looking. IMPORTANT: Do not search for the article title.
• If you see "Your search found no matches", USF library does not own any copies of the journal.
• If you do not see "Your search found no matches" or you are not taken directly to a journal entry, click on the title in the list given (you may have to usethe arrow for "Next Page").
• In the journal record, scroll down and look for LIB HAS:
• Compare your citation date information to the information here.
• If the USF library holds the journal for the date you need, note the call number of the journal.
• Journals can be located either at the main library or the College of Nursing Library. Journals cannot be checked out of either library. Distance students who cannot physically get to the Joliet campus may request any journal article owned by USF to be copied and mailed to them by submitting an interlibrary loan request. On-campus students may view the journals in-house. Photocopiers are available.

 

Check to see if the full text of the article is available in an online database

Even though you may have identified the article in one database and no text was available there, the text may be available through another database to which USF has access.

• Click on "Find articles full text online" from the library home page.
• Type the name of the journal into the search box at the bottom of the screen or,
• Select the first letter of the journal in which the article is printed (not the article title).
• Hold down the CTRL key and the letter "F" simultaneously.
• In the find box that pops up, type in the name of the journal.
• Click on "find next".
• If the title is available with the full text of the articles in any of the databases to which USF subscribes, the cursor will drop down and hilight the title. If the journal is not available in full text in any of the databases, the message "search string not found" will pop up.
• If the title is hilighted, check the available dates against your citation.
• If the date needed is available, click on the title of the database in which it is available.
• A new window will open.
• If you are off-campus, you will be prompted to login (call the reference desk at 815-740-5041 or 800-726-6500 if you need password information).
• Get to the search screen for the database on which you clicked. This may take several clicks depending on the database.
• Search for the article. It is a good idea to search using several keywords from the title of the article and, if the option is available, limit to the journal name.
• Every once in a while, the information on the "find articles full text online" page is not 100% accurate, so you may find citations but still no full text.
• Keep in mind that every database interface is different. If you need assistance navigating in the databases, please call the reference desk. We are happy to help step you through.

 

Check to see if an electronic version of the journal is available through USF

• Click on "Electronic Journals" from the library home page. *The difference between an electronic journal and an online database is that the journal is just a single title, whereas the database is a large collection of information about hundreds or thousands of titles, searchable by keyword or subject.
• Click on "All Titles".
• Scroll through the list to see if your title is available.
• If the title is listed, click on the title to go to the journal site. Check issue availability on the journal site. Note that off-campus users will be asked to log in to many of the journals and individual passwords may be required for some journals. Call the reference desk for more information.

 

Ask the USF library to help you obtain the text via interlibrary loan

• If the text of the article you wish to read is not available in print in the USF library, through any of the online databases or in an electronic journal version, you may submit an interlibrary loan request. (Distance students may also submit requests for print journals owned by USF)
• Click on "Forms" or "Online Forms" from any library web page.
• Click on "Interlibrary loan journal article request".
• Fill out all of the fields of the form. If you do not know any piece of information, just put n/a or a question mark "?" into the box. If you are uncomfortable using your student identification number, put in a make-believe number. The form will NOT submit unless all boxes are filled in.
• Click the SUBMIT button.
• Fill out a separate request for each article.
• Library staff will either call when the article arrives or mail it to you (distance students). There is almost never a charge for this service. Articles usually arrive within a week, but try to allow at least two weeks, as mailing times and hard to find items may cause the process to take longer.
• If you would like to make a request now, click here to access the online interlibrary loan system .
   

 

 

 

 

University of St. Francis 500 Wilcox Street Joliet, Illinois 60435 (800) 735-7500 A Catholic, Franciscan University

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