Articles contained in full-text databases are identical to the contents of many of our print materials, and are paid for by Library subscriptions. An Internet search engine such as AltaVista or Hotbot do not link to articles found in our full-text databases. Encourage your students to ask a Reference Librarian for assistance in choosing and using these resources. Besides finding articles in full-text databases, students will still need to check for local periodical holdings. Citation databases, like printed indexes, are global in scope and always index more titles than are held locally.
Some students think if it's in the index, it's in the Library.
Emphasize that the student should search for the magazine or journal title, not the article title, when conducting a periodical title search on our website. Be sure students know where our online help guides are. Printed help guides are available in the Reference Department on the first floor. If the research process begins earlier in the semester, then students will have an opportunity to take full advantage of this service. Find out what they know how to do and, more importantly, get a feel for what they don't know how to do.