Finding journal articles
Journals articles can be found using a variety of tools.
Journal articles can be from academic or scholarly, magazine, newspaper or trade publications.
You should be using academic (also known as scholarly) journal articles. Look for:
- references within the article
- reference lists or bibliographies
- often will have abstract, methods, discussion or conclusion
Many academic articles are also peer reviewed.
Develop a search strategy
- Identify the MAIN IDEAS in your question
- Identify the KEYWORDS for these concepts any similar terms/synonyms that might be used to describe your key terms
- COMBINE your concepts with Boolean Operators (AND / OR / NOT)
Identify keywords
Brainstorm synonyms for your keywords. For example:
Discuss the use of compression garments when exercising does it improve performance?
The key concepts are:
- compression garments
- exercising
- performance
Example of a simple search
| Synonyms/keyword | Synonyms/keyword | Synonyms/keyword |
|
"compression garments" OR "compression garment" OR "compression sleeve" OR "compression sleeves" |
exercise OR exercising
|
performance
|
Use advanced search
Use the Advanced Search option in your chosen databases.
Put each concept in a different box (with OR between each synonym).
Consider limiting your search to Title/Abstract fields.
Put AND between each row.
Boolean operators
- AND - between keywords will search for both terms and retrieve fewer results but with greater relevance
- OR - between keywords of similar meaning (synonyms) will search for either or both terms and broaden your results
- NOT - narrows search and identifies references that do not contain the term following it
For step by step instructions go to UQ library - Searching in databases
Learn how to conduct advanced literature searching with our online tutorials.
Search tips
- Field searching to refine the search. For example, search Title and Abstract fields only
- Set search limits. For example, year or language
- Controlled vocabulary. Use MeSH or subject headings. PubMed uses MeSH, Cinahl uses Subject Headings, and Embase uses Emtree
- Phrase searching. Use double quotation marks around phrases: "compression sleeve"
- Truncation/wildcards. These are special characters such as asterisk (*). For example, exercise* finds exercise and exercises