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Finding articles on a topic

To find articles on a topic, you can use theÌý or more specialized databases.

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Using Sofia to search for articles

In addition to books and media, you can also use the Sofia Discovery Tool to search for articles from a wide range of sources. (For a complete list of all indexed journals and other content available through Sofia, please visit the .)

Note: For more specialized, thorough searches, consider using a database to search for articles.

Searching for articles in Sofia is similar to searching for books and media. You can use search using keywords, title, subjects, etc and then use the filtering features to limit your results to display articles.

Under Format, select Article/Chapter to see only articles in the results list.

If you only want to see articles that have been peer-reviewed, selectÌýPeer Reviewed underÌýContent.

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Using databases to search for articles

Another way to find articles is to use a database to search for articles.

Databases are search engines that allow you to search across collections of journals and articles. Some databases, like and , are multidisciplinary and include articles from a variety of academic disciplines. Others, like , are more specialized and focus on a single discipline.

A few reasons why you might want to use a database instead of Sofia

• Although Sofia contains a very large number of journals and articles, it does not include everything. Especially when you are doing searches that are more specialized, complex or comprehensive, it will be important for you to explore the full range of information available on a topic. Choosing the right databases to search will be critical!
• Databases usually provide more comprehensive and flexible search tools than Sofia. These advanced search tools require a bit more effort to use, but can make it easier for you to locate what you are looking for without having to sift through a large number of results.

The first step in using databases to find articles is to determine what databases to use. For more information, see Find databases.

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Ìý Need help finding articles? Ask us!

Finding a specific article

Sometimes you will need to find a copy of a specific article. For example, there might be articles that are cited in books or articles that you are reading for class that you would like to read for yourself. An article that is listed in a bibliography might look something like this:

Mintzberg, H. (1994). The Fall and Rise of Strategic Planning. Harvard Business Review, 72, 1, 107.

Without going into all the details, this is the citation for an article written by H. Mintzberg called The Fall and Rise of Strategic Planning that was published in the Harvard Business Review in 1994. This citation gives us all the information we need to find that article.

Step 1: Search for a specific article by title

To find a specific article, first use Sofia to search for the article by title.

Tip: For best results, include double quotes around the title of the article (ex. "Fall and Rise of Strategic Planning").

Sofia will display your search results, along with several options to filter or sort them.

Under Format, select Article to see only articles in the results list.

Step 2: Retrieve the article

Access the electronic version of the article. Once you find the article in Sofia, if McGill has access to the electronic version of the file, click View Now to see links to the article.

Search for the journal containing the print version of the article. If there is no link to the electronic version of the article, you should search for the journal that the article was published in.

If McGill has a print version of the journal, you can then retrieve the appropriate journal volume from the Libraries just as you would any other book. McGill students, faculty and staff may also request a scanned copy of an individual article or delivery of journal volumes for pickup to any branch services desk.

Interlibrary Loan. If McGill doesn't have the electronic or print version of the article, you can use our Interlibrary Loan service to request the article. We'll find the article at another library and deliver it to you.

Ìý Need help finding articles? Ask us!