The icon next to the database name will tell you the subjects and types of materials covered by the database. This information will help you choose the most appropriate database(s) for your search.

You may need to try your search in more than one database.

• Add another concept to your search by using the "and" connector.
  Example:
  
   
• If the database allows it, indicate that your search terms must appear in a specific field such as title, abstract, or subject headings rather than "anywhere" in the record. If your search terms appear in these fields, it is more likely the item will be relevant to your topic.
  Example:
  
   
• Remove some of the synonyms that you connected with the "or" connector in your search, leaving the most important or specific term to describe each concept.
  Example:
  
   
• Limit your search in various ways, such as to a specific date or range of years, or to a particular type of publication (e.g., peer reviewed).
  Example:
  

• Include synonyms or related terms for each search concept, using the "or" connector.
  Example:
  
   
• Drop the least important concept (and its synonyms) from your search.
  Example:
  
   
• Use truncation to find variant forms of your search terms. Consult the online help in each database to learn the appropriate truncation symbol.
  Example: market*  finds market, markets, marketing, marketer, marketable, marketability
  
   
• Try your search in a different database.
   
• When you find useful items, look at them carefully to see if they contain additional synonyms or official subject headings/descriptions that you can search.

Sometimes a database will give you a citation to a useful article, but not the full text.

To find the full text:

Go to the library website and click "Find + Borrow" > "Journals"

• Search the title of the journal (not the title of the article).
• If we subscribe to the journal you need--in either print or electronic form--you'll see one or more links.
• Click on the link(s) to see which years we have and where the journal is located
  (e.g., Internet, Periodicals Department on the 2nd Floor, Library Research Annex).
• Using this information, you can locate the volume and issue that contains the article you need.

If UVM Libraries does not subscribe to the journal in which the article appears, you can request the article through our free interlibrary loan service.