Research Guides: Litz-Summer 2023: Finding Articles

When to Use Journal Articles

Journal articles are excellent resources when you need very recent information, and when you are looking for full-text resources that you can read on your computer or mobile device.

The type of publication will determine the types of information included as well as how recent the coverage is:

Weekly magazines generally do not provide in-depth information, but would have the most current coverage on a topic.
Monthly magazines generally provide better reporting as the additional time allows for more time to fact check and provide context.
Scholarly journals usually take several months to publish articles, but that is because they are highly researched and well-documented by experts in the specific subject areas. Scholarly journals also include references and citations so it is easier for readers to verify the information provided.
Peer-reviewed journals may take longer because they are not only written by experts in the field, but also read and vetted by other experts in the field. Peer-reviewed articles are considered the gold standard in terms of academic research.

Do we own it?

Do you have a citation and want to see if we have the article? Search for journal titles to see if we have the journal in full-text online or in print here in the library.

Journal Locator
Search for the title of the journal, magazine, or newspaper in which your article appears.

Search Google Scholar

Google Scholar
Search across many disciplines and sources for scholarly articles, theses, books, abstracts, patents and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and other reputable websites.

New York Times

The New York Times
Articles from the printed paper, blogs, videos and web content from 1985-present. PCT users must log into their NYT account for full-text. Subscription is renewed every 4 years. Student accounts expire Dec. 31 after graduation.
PCT students, faculty, and staff must create their own account by first visiting the NYT Groupass page and search for Pennsylvania College of Technology. Users will create an account or log in with their username/password. Users will be asked to renew their subscription every 4 years. Student accounts expire Dec. 31 after graduation.

Library Databases

Use the “Database Directory (A-Z)” list if you know which database you want to use. You can also use the "Subjects" drop-down menu to help you decide on a database if you’re not sure. You can further narrow down your choices using the "Types" drop-down.

List of Databases
A-Z list of the library's databases. Filter the list by subject as well as by database type (articles, books, standards, etc.)

More Databases

ProQuest
Search the majority of our ProQuest databases at one time. Subjects include the arts, business, health & medicine, history, literature, science & technology, and social sciences.
Gale Academic OneFile
Peer-reviewed, full-text articles covering the physical and social sciences, technology, medicine, engineering, the arts, technology, literature, and others.
Academic Search Complete
A scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database including periodicals and peer-reviewed journals.
Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints
Covers social issues and includes pro and con viewpoint articles, reference articles, full-text magazines, academic journals, newspapers, primary source documents, government and organizational statistics, multimedia, and links to pertinent websites.
WorldCat
The Madigan Library Discovery catalog includes the largest network of content and services. Includes articles, books, eBooks, videos, and digital items.