The three-minute video below, produced by Kealin McCabe, provides basic instructions for using a journal index.

Kealin is using the multidisciplinary journal index Academic Search Premier in the video, but remember that most journal indexes operate in essentially the same way.

Tips:

• Subject terms are there for a reason.  Use suggested subject terms, or subject terms that you find in database full entries, to revise your searches.
• Can't get to the full-text article from the journal index?  It can happen, but don't give up!  Start at minute 2:10 in the video below to learn how to find an article that is not available in full text in the journal index.  Remember that older artitles may be available in the Library collection in another format (print, microform).
• If you find that an article isn't in the library collection, you may still place an interlibrary loan. This means that the Library will get the article for you from another library.

• Use the following to connect your search terms:
  
  • AND - Connecting your search terms with AND allows you to narrow your search.  You will retrieve only the items that have ALL of your terms contained within.
  • OR - Connecting your search terms with OR allows you to broaden your search. You with retrieve any of the items that contain EITHER or ONE OF your terms.