Journal Articles
I am trying to order a journal from Link + How come it won't let me?
The first problem is that Link+ is only for ordering BOOKS. To order journal articles you need to use Interlibrary Services. This is also a free service but takes a little bit longer to order so do your research in plenty of time!
What can I do? Argh! CSU Long Beach does not own any of the articles that I need for my paper- what can I do?
You have two options for getting articles when the library doesn't have them physically in the building:
1. The first thing you can do is order your articles via Interlibrary Services. This is a free service and best of all, if it is available the library will send you the article electronically via your email!
2. The second option is to see if there is anything available in our full text databases. SEE: How do I get to full text articles.
How do I find articles from the list of journals my professor gave me?
There are two ways to approach this assignment. The first thing you need to determine is if you have a specific topic and need an article or if you if you can find ANY article from the list of journals.
1. If you have a specific topic: Pick a research database that indexes one or all of the journals on the list. e.g. if you are looking for articles from Communication journals, use a communication studies database like Com Abstract. If you are looking for articles from Psychology journals, use a psychology database like PsycInfo.
2. If you can find ANY article from the list of journals: Go to COAST and select Journal Title. Type in the names of the journals and note the location and call number of the journals owned by the Library. The easiest thing to do is go to recent issues and see what journal article interests you.
I just spent a whole hour looking for articles on COAST and I can't find anything! What's wrong?
COAST will tell you what books, government documents, videos and journals the library owns. It won't give you articles on a specific topic- just books on a specific topic. Whenever you want articles think Research Databases. Only research databases will give you a list of journal articles arranged by topic. For more information about research databases, click on "Articles" ( menu on the left of every subject guide page) and check out the descriptions for databases relevant to your discipline.
What is a Scholarly
Journal?
The best answer to this question can be found on the following site maintained by Peggy Roske, a librarian at the College of St. Benedict + St. John's University. Please check out their site for a more detailed explanation: What is a scholarly journal?
General Characteristics of Scholarly Journals:
| 1 | Scholarly journals generally have a sober, serious look. They often contain many graphs and charts but few glossy pages or exciting pictures. |
| 2 | Scholarly journals always cite their sources in the form of footnotes or bibliographies. |
| 3 | Articles are written by a scholar in the field or by someone who has done research in the field. The author's name appears at the beginning or the end of the article. |
| 4 | The language of scholarly journals is that of the discipline covered. It assumes some scholarly background on the part of the reader. |
| 5 | The main purpose of a scholarly journal is to report on original research or experimentation in order to make such information available to the rest of the scholarly world. |
| 6 | Many scholarly journals, though by no means all, are published by a specific professional organization. |
| 7 | Many scholarly journals are "peer reviewed" or "refereed," that is, articles published in them have been subjected to a rigorous approval and editing process by other scholars in that discipline. |
My Professor says I can only use "peer-reviewed" or "scholarly" Journals for my paper. How can I tell if my article comes from one of these journals?
There are two ways you can check to see if a journal article you have found is "peer-reviewed":
1. Go to the database
Academic Search Elite. Look for the button
at the top of the
page. Once you click on it you will be able to type in the JOURNAL TITLE
that you got the article from. Click on the link that says "Publication
Details". You will then see information about the journal and more
importantly
it will say "Peer Reviewed" and say Y for Yes or N for No.
2. If your journal is not listed in Academic Search Elite, then you can check in Ulrich's International Periodicals Index located at the Reference Desk. If you ask a Librarian in reference how to find out if a journal is "peer-reviewed" they will show you the section that tells you if a journal is "peer reviewed".
I am at home (okay I am really on campus and don't want to move out of my chair) How do I get access to FULL TEXT articles?
The easiest way to find
FULL TEXT Articles (articles on the computer) is to use databases that have full
text in them. You can determine which ones have the
full text by the icon listed in availability. The full text icon looks
like this: 
Likewise, you
can use 
to find out
if an article is available electronically or in print in any database even if
the Full Text Icon is not there. Once you click on the SFX link it will you to the full
text of an article or to the record for the print version of the article (if the
library doesn't have the article electronically or in print, you can still
request it from
Interlibrary Services and the library will email the article to you!):
What is Adobe Acrobat? How do I use it?
Check out this guide for using Adobe Acrobat to view some of the full text articles available from our research databases
ERIC
What's the difference between an EJ number and an ED number?
ED numbers (ERIC Document Numbers) are assigned to any record in ERIC that is NOT a journal article. This includes any position paper, presentation paper, reports generated by schools, dissertations and books. Whenever possible the library at CSULB has purchased most Eric Documents either on microfiche or online via EDRS (ERIC Documents). If you see a record with an ED# and it indicates it is available from EDRS WRITE IT DOWN. The only exception are ED records that are Books- these will not be found on microfiche or electronically. You must search the library catalog by author or title to find books.
EJ numbers are assigned to all records that are journal articles. The EJ number is just an accession number and will in NO way help you get your hands on the article. Instead of writing the EJ number make sure you write down the full citation (author, title, title of the journal, volume, issue, page numbers and year) and click on the link that says Click to locate item .
How do I get the full text of an Eric Document?
You can get the full text of an ERIC Document two ways:
1. Click on the link to E*Subscribe OR 2. Writing down the ED number (e.g. ED596870) and getting in the microfiche collection at CSULB.
IMPORTANT EXCEPTION: The only exception are ED records that are Books- these will not be found on microfiche or electronically. You must search the library catalog by author or title to find books. You can find out if it is a book by scrolling to the bottom of the record and looking at the Record Type. If it is a book you can search COAST to see if the library owns it. Here is what you are looking for:
|
|
|
|
Getting to the full text of a Document from ERIC |
Determining if the Document is really a Book |
Why does Eric Documents Online want me to purchase an Eric Document?
Eric Documents is a generic database. Each record is set up for two possibilities: You are a user who is accessing the database because the library paid for full text access OR you are a user that doesn't have access to full text but you want to buy it directly from them. Just remember this golden rule: The LIBRARY has paid for access to many electronic products- check with a librarian before purchasing ANYTHING with your credit card. The chances are, the library has already bought it!
Books
Help! All of the books on my topic are checked out and my paper is due next week!!
If you are short on time and you need information about your topic fast you have a couple of options:
Depending on your topic you can find articles in one of our many databases. The trick is figuring out the best source for your information. Check out our Databases listed by Topic Page (click on the info button next to each database to find out what kind of information is contained) or Go to one of our many Subject Guides (most guides match the broad course name e.g. psychology, history, women's studies etc.). Still lost? Come to the reference desk for assistance! See when a Librarian is available: Hours.
If you find a book you need at CSU Long Beach is checked out, click on the "Repeat Search in LINK+ " sign at the top right hand corner of the COAST screen. If you see that more than one library owns the item you can simply click on "Request Item". All you need to input is your name and student ID. Takes 3-5 days and is totally FREE!
I typed in my topic in COAST and didn't find anything- What's wrong?
COAST doesn't work like databases or the Internet- specific topics don't usually work. The easiest way to search COAST is to do a broad keyword search and see what comes up. for example if your topic is "bilingual education in California" you should do a keyword search for "bilingual education California" because a subject search will give you zero results. Once you select a title that looks good to you, scroll down to the bottom of the record and take a look at the true Library of Congress Subject Headings that are given to the item.
|
Bilingual Education in California |
Bilingual Education California |
Education, Bilingual--California |
| Your Topic as a Subject | Your Topic as a Keyword Search | Actual Subject Heading |
How can I find samples of primary school textbooks at CSULB?
We have a collection of textbooks used by the Long Beach Unified School District. Just go to COAST and do a subject search for the word TEXTBOOK and you will be able to browse the titles.
I don't have time to wait for Link+ to bring me a book and I just want to go get it myself- how do I check to see if a local library has the book I need?
Check the various local catalogs available on our Other Libraries Page.
General Research
Okay I have all my research done- How can I get help writing my paper?
While Librarians are good at research, the experts at helping you formulate your paper are located at the Writer's Resource Lab (Language Arts Building 212). They offer one-on-one tutoring as well as online assistance. While they won't write your paper for you, they can help you get started and help with editing questions! For more information visit their website: Writer's Resource Lab.
This research stuff is hard- where can I get some help?
Contact me and make a research appointment. If your topic is for a different class, check out other Subject Guides or see the list of subject librarians. On campus? Go to the Reference Desk! Feel free to contact any of us for assistance!
How do I narrow or broaden my topic?
The best way to narrow your topic is to pick a specific group or subtopic to focus on. For example instead of searching for articles about interpersonal communication, you can look at interpersonal communication and families. This will lessen the number of articles or books you are finding with the broader heading of interpersonal communication. If you need more help check out this page developed by librarians at UCLA called: How to Narrow or Broaden your Topic.
I can't find anything on my topic- what should I do?
There may be a number of reasons why you cannot find information on your topic. The first is that the terminology you are using doesn't match the database or catalog you are searching. For example, searching for the word kids in a scholarly database is not as effective as searching for the word adolescents. Try these three things if you are not getting anywhere:
modify your terms by either using broader terms, more scholarly or synonyms
make sure you are using the correct database for your topic check here for databases by topic
Consult with a librarian who is a subject specialist on your topic they can offer assistance via email or phone
Oops I lost that handout you gave me in class- can I get a copy?
You can get a copy of the handout by contacting me directly- I can print out a new one!
Internet Research
How do I know if a web site is legitimate?
Checklist for evaluating web sites for scholarly research
How can I learn more about doing research on the Internet?
There are a couple of great sources to teach you how to do research on the internet. Here are some tutorials and web pages that can help you get started.
Research Guides at CSULB. These will link you to websites that are more scholarly in nature than ones you find using a search engine. They are arranged by topics so look through the list.
UCLA College Library exercise on how to evaluate web sites this site gives examples and techniques on evaluating web sites
TILT is a tutorial that is fun and interactive and if you are truly interested in learning worth the time it takes to go through the modules.
How do I cite web pages?
Access from Home
When I try to get a library PIN it says "INVALID PIN" Help!
Sometimes this just happens. All you have to do is call the circulation desk at the library 562 985-5512. They can usually clear your PIN when you call. If you come to the library you can go to the circulation desk located at the front entrance of the library.
When I try to get a library PIN it says "Patron Record Not Found" Help!
This can happen when all of the library's computer records are not up to date or if your registration is having problems. Again you can call the circulation desk and they can provide you with the help you need. 562 985-5512.
I have a pin and I am still not getting into the databases- what's wrong?
Make sure you have carefully read through the instructions located on our access from home instruction page. If you have AOL or MSN you must make sure to read the important instructions for getting access. You can find them here: Access from Home
I am trying to get into a database and the screen is blue and asks for a password and user id- what's wrong?
This is the generic screen that can show up on any of the library's databases provided by the vendor FirstSearch. It shows up if you didn't follow all the connect from home instructions OR if all the user ports are currently full. In this case it is the equivalent of "all circuits are busy". You don't really need a password and User ID- you just need to make sure you followed ALL the connect from home instructions or go back to the Electronic Resources page and click on the link to the database again.
How come some databases want me to order articles from them and want my credit card number?
What ever you do NEVER PURCHASE AN ARTICLE FROM A WEBSITE!! The Library at CSU Long Beach pays for tons of stuff so that you get free access to it. Unfortunately some of our own products want you to order stuff from them so they put all those ordering links on the screen. If you find an article that we don't own, then take advantage of Interlibrary Services so we can do all the copying, ordering and paying instead of you! Likewise, check to see if the article or book is available in one of our Full Text databases.
