The list above can help, or speak to a reference librarian. A description of what an index contains is usually available at the beginning of the index. Assume you would like to find periodical articles on the timber industry in Montana. To begin your search, think of key terms or phrases that might be used to describe your topic. You may also limit your search in other ways, such as by year or type of article.
Most computerized indexes allow such limiting.
To learn more about limiting, explore the index help files or ask a reference librarian. Print indexes are easy to limit by year since they are usually produced annually and provide access to a single year's articles in each volume. Indexes help you identify articles on your topic and give you the information you need to locate the articles. Sometimes the index will even give you the full-text of the article. The economic impacts of Montana's timber shortage.