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Research Guides

Eastern Washington University Libraries

FYE The World You Inherit

Dr. Magori

Search Hints

Basic Search Tips for Any Library Database

  • Exact phrases "in quotes" -- “higher education”
  • Use or for synonyms if you want either term to be present -- athletics or sports
  • Use and if you want all of the terms to be present -- "higher education" and "student athletes"
  • Use an * on the root form of a word to find any version of the root word with different endings -- universit* to find university or universities
  • Note all your limiters (on left side of screen)
    • Date, type of source, geography, etc.
  • Note subjects/descriptors of relevant records for ways to narrow results, or alternate wording

Find the Full Text of an Article Within a Database

When you are searching in one of the library databases and the article in question isn't available full text right there, look for the button or hyperlink that says EWU - Check for Full Text.

Clicking the Check for Full Text button/link in the databases brings up a screen like this...

screenshot of check for full text results

Step 1: If the article is available online, it will say Fulltext available at the top. (It looks like a hyperlink, but it is a link to take you to the page you're already on.) Under View It, you will see links to the databases that have the article. In the example above the article is available in American Chemical Society and ProQuest.

Step 2: If the article is not available full text, it will say Check availability. To see if we have it in print or microfilm, scroll down to Find in a Library. If we do have at least one issue of the source, the page will look like the image above. Note:

  • the years we have -- for the example below we have 1966 through 2010
  • the location -- EWU-Cheney Main Level Periodical
  • the call number of the source -- QD .J93

Step 3: If the article is not available full text, and we do not have it in print/microfilm, go back up to View It and click the link Request this article using Interlibrary Loan (in the middle under Can't find it? -- see image above). You will need to log in using your NetID/SSO. Verify that the fields were filled out correctly and click the red Submit Request button. Articles usually take 3-5 days. You will be notified via your EWU email that the article is available for you to download. (Directions are in the email.)