Ways to Find Similar and Recent Articles
Search Multidisciplinary Databases
What is Boolean searching?
If you found an "ideal" article, here are two ways to expand your search Web of Science database
Retrieve the "ideal" article on the Web of Science database or in Google Scholar. Then, examine the record for articles that cite your "ideal" article (that is, click on the "Times Cited" articles on Web of Science).
This citing reference searching is a quick and efficient way to find more related and newer articles.
Look at the references (e.g. "Cited References" or bibliography of the article) in your "ideal" article as these articles may be related in some fashion; and will be older than your "ideal" article.
Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Multi-disciplinary source for scholarly, popular, professional, and news publications. This is a good place to start many searches or to gather material from various disciplines at once.
JSTOR: The Scholarly Journal Archive This link opens in a new window
Complete digitized back runs of core scholarly journals. JSTOR Tutorial
ScienceDirect (Elsevier)
Elsevier journal package. Articles are usually peer-reviewed and full-text.
MasterFILE Premier This link opens in a new window
Multidisciplinary resource covering a wide variety of subjects and resource-types. Includes journal articles, reference books, primary documents, and images.
Provides a search of scholarly literature across many disciplines and sources, including theses, books, abstracts and articles.
Boolean searching is a technique which uses the principles of symbolic logic introduced by UK mathematician George Boole to help researchers expand or restrict a search by using three language operators, AND, OR, NOT. The operator AND narrows a search. The operator OR expands a search. The operator NOT also narrows a search but can sometimes result in eliminating relevant items and should be used with caution. Most research databases supply a search template with boxes which can be connected by one of the three operators to help you organize your search logic.
You can even use search operators in a Google search http://www.google.com/advanced_search
Venn diagrams provide a pictorial representation of these concepts.
Searching Multiple Databases at One Time
Start your search in PubMed and CINAHL. To expand your search results, consider searching in general and multidisciplinary databases or search for multiple databases with the same platform. For example, search EBSCOhost databases in tandem (see image). Duplicate records are usually removed. The drawback is that subject headings cannot be used.
For Unique and Timely Topics, Search for Dissertations/Theses
For a comprehensive/exhaustive literature review:
See what has been done recently--find and review dissertations or theses on your topic to get ideas for future research.
TIP: when reviewing these works, read the bibliography, literature review, style, methodology, or surveys (often includes full-text of instruments/questionnaires).
OATD - Open Access Theses and Dissertations
OATD.org aims to be the best possible resource for finding open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world. Metadata (information about the theses) comes from thousands of colleges, universities, and research institutions.
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
Doctoral Dissertations and Masters Theses from over 1,000 colleges and universities. Full text downloads available for most Dissertations produced since 1997. Theses are not available full-text.
PQDT Open - full-text
Provides full text of thousands of open access dissertations and theses published through ProQuest's Open Access publishing model and freely accessible online.
More about Searching with Boolean Logic
Venn Diagrams
Venn diagrams are a visual representation of boolean logic.
Boolean Logic Tutorial
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