Research Process: A Step-By-Step Guide: 2b. Articles

Periodicals are publications which are issued at regular intervals, such as journals, magazines, and newspapers.

To help you identify different periodicals, refer to the Types of Periodicals guide.

Depending on the database you are using, articles may be displayed in different formats:

• Index: Includes only the article citation (i.e., author, title, date, etc.). Neither a summary, nor the full-text of the article are available.
• Abstract: Includes the citation and a summary of the article's content. It does not include the full-text article.
• Full-text: Includes the citation and full-text article. This may be in HTML, .pdf, or both formats.

Article databases provide you with 24-7 access to magazine, journal and newspaper articles. Schauffler Library subscribes to over 100 databases.

To help you identify the most appropriate database for your research topic:

• consult your class libguide, and/or
• use the Subjects and Database Types drop-down menus in the A-Z Databases list.

Even though library databases are accessible through a Web browser, they are available only by subscription, not through the open Web. Take a look at this brief video from North Carolina State University Libraries explaining the differences:

A collection of information organized for easy retrieval.

Library Databases might organize:

• articles from scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, and trade publications
• streaming video or audio
• images
• reports
• biographies
• statistics
• and so much more!

Articles not available at Schauffler Library may be requested from other libraries through Interlibrary Loan (ILL). This service, for members of the NMH community, is usually free of charge.

• Please allow 2-3 days for requested materials to arrive.
• Occasionally a lending library may charge a borrowing fee. In these cases, NMH patrons will be asked if they want to pay the fee and proceed with the loan.

Fill out the Interlibrary Loan Periodical Request Form and you will be notified when your article is available.