Searching for articles: Introduction

Where to begin when you want to search as efficiently as possible for articles in scientific journals? What are the best search engines to consult? And how to get hold of the article, whether in digital format or on paper? Read all about it in this LibGuide. 

The Library Access browser extension offers access to a large number of digital scientific sources, whether you are on campus or off-campus.

Every time you visit a website with publications licensed by Utrecht University Library, you are asked to log in. Next you will have direct access. Using the extension also gives you automatically access to Google Scholar and PubMed including UBUlink.

If you come across a publication which may not be available, Library Access will try to find an open access version for you.

You download the extension once, select your institution and log in with your Solis ID or UMCU-account and password.
Want to know more? Visit the Online Access via Library Access page of the Utrecht University Library.

In your search for scholarly literature you may sometimes find the UBU-link. This link provides information about the availability of the publication via the University Library, in digital as well as in paper format.

UBUlink, quickly to the publication

In the case of digital publications the UBU-link provides direct access. For print publications the UBU-link gives information about availability at Utrecht University Library. Sometimes the UBU-link is in the form of a yellow button, but it can also be a text link.

Do you already have some data of the article, such as the exact title or words from the title, the author(s) or the title of the journal? The following rules apply to such a so-called known item search:

• If you know the complete title of the article Google Scholar or WorldCat UU are the quickest options: if you are sure of the exact title place it between double quotation marks "...". If you get no results try Google. Not all scholarly articles are recognised as such and included in Google Scholar.
• If you only know the name of the author, go to Scopus, Web of Science or WorldCat UU.

Electronic journals

Do you know the title and volume of the journal? In our list of electronic journals you will find the current and canceled subscriptions. You can also search by issn or browse through the alphabetical list.

Does the UBU-link indicate that the journal is available on paper? Then check WorldCat, containing the Utrecht University Library collection.

NB You cannot search for articles in paper jourals, only on the journal title

At the top of the results list, click on Items to find out if the volume you need is available in the library.

1.  Check WorldCat to see if the article is available and can be requested from another Dutch library or foreign library.
2. Ask the author to send you the article. On publishers' sites and in search engines such as Scopus you will often find the email addresses of authors.
3.  Twitter to the rescue: tweet your request together with the URL and add the hashtag #icanhazpdf

 Are you looking for an article by subject? We recommend the following general search engines:

• Google Scholar
• Scopus
• Web of Science

These databases contain information about electronic and print journals.Also here the UBU-link gives information about the availability of the publication via the library.

There are also specialised search engines for a particular discipline, for instance:

• PubMed
• PsycInfo

Would you like to know what search engines are relevant for your discipline? Have a look at the search engines by discipline.