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Research Help

This guide will help you at all stages of the research process, from choosing a topic to citing your sources.

Full Text Options in the Databases

PDF Full Text

Download the PDF to save a copy of the full text of the article.

HTML Full Text

Full text of the article is available on the webpage, often with tools to translate or listen to the article. Use the permalink or email tools to return to this page later, or print the page to save a copy (Print to PDF).

Link to Full Text

Some may include a link to an external site that provides access to the full text of the article.

Icons for downloading, printing, or viewing full text in ProQuest, EBSCO, and Gale.

Hitting a paywall? Don't buy articles!

If you find an article online but can’t access the full text, you can check to see if it is available through the library databases or request a copy of the article through Interlibrary Loan. 

1. Use the E-Journal Finder to look for a full-text journal or newspaper.

Search by journal title, or browse by title or subject. Some journals or newspapers will have multiple entries. Check to see if the publication date for your article falls within the date range listed.

For example: if I am looking for an article that was published in the Journal of Cultural Diversity in May 2021, I should be able to access it from Academic Search Premier (EBSCO) or Nursing & Allied Health Database (ProQuest). 
Screenshot of "Journal of cultural diversity" entry in the E-Journal Finder 

If you have checked the E-Journal Finder and library databases but we do not have access...

2. Request a copy through Interlibrary Loan.

Choose the “request an article” tab, then fill in as much information about the article as you can. Once you submit your request, we will reach out to other libraries that may have that journal and request a copy of the article you are looking for.

This is a free service for students! However, it may take a while (several weeks for books, but usually less time for articles) for us to receive the article so it’s best to request as soon as possible.

3. Try searching on Google Scholar.

There may be a free PDF with the full text of the article and/or different “versions” of the article. Some universities have institutional repositories where scholars can upload a copy of their research. Authors may also expand an article they wrote into a chapter for an edited book or share pre-print copies of the article.

4. Email the author.

If the author’s email is listed, you can always try emailing them directly to see if they have a copy (such as a “pre-print”) of their article that they could email to you. Many researchers are happy to send along their articles to students. However, there’s a chance you will not get a response or the author will not be able to send you the article.