Full Text Article Databases
ORU databases include authoritative articles covering all subjects, in addition to a variety of other types of materials and formats.
For your research assignments, ORU databases provide you with easy and efficient ways to search, evaluate, store and manage information.
In contrast to searching the Web, databases offer many useful applications and functions, such as those listed in the chart below.
|Database Selection Options
- Databases contain groups of publications and may include full text, abstracts, or citations
from peer reviewed journals, popular magazines, book reviews, and more.
- Choose a subject database, a multidisciplinary database or any combination of databases using an integrated search..
|Database Special Features
- Refine your results to scholarly (peer-reviewed) articles.
- Limit to source type, such book reviews or newspapers.
- Set publications date limits.
- Update results using the subject lists that come up for a search.
- Select English or non-English language articles.
|Database Citation Tools
- Get citations in various formats to copy and paste into your works cited list, bibliography or reference list.
- See Citation
Tools. Note: Always
check citations with the print manual and your professors requirements.
| Database Information Management Tools
- Create personal accounts, such as the ebrary Bookshelf or EBSCO Folder.
- Create search and (or) journal alerts.
- Add notes to articles.
- Save and manage articles, searches, alerts, and more.
databases include full text while others have only citations and abstracts. Article
full text varies and may be available in HTML, PDF, linked full text, print or a combination of formats.
If the full text is not available in the database you
are using, another database may have the full text or it may be elsewhere in the ORU Library. Use the "check for full text," or similar link, to find it. If the article you need is not available at ORU you may request
it through the library Interlibrary Loan Service.
Search for Articles on Your Topic or Subject
Step 1: Select
Search Complete (a good place to start)
Or, use the database list, a subject
research guide or the QuickLinks tab on this page.
Step 2: Enter
Key in concepts or keywords from your thesis statement and other significant words that describe your topic. Search appropriate fields, such as subject, keyword,
scripture, people, company entity. Browse and search the subject headings or thesauri. See Search Strategies.
Step 3: Review the results. Choose an article and access the full text.
Click PDF, HTML, Linked Full text or similar option, as in the examples below.
full text links are not available, click the Check for Full Text (or similar) link to see if the article is available elsewhere
in the Library.
• If a journal/magazine title, database name(s) and/or article link is displayed, then follow the links to the full text.
• If an Oral Roberts
University Catalog link is an option, then the journal title is in the library but not necessarily the article. The Library may not have the date you need so
click the link to see the library's holdings. Record or print the holdings information, including format (microform, CD-ROM, hard-copy) and location to find
• If there is no link, then the article is not available in full text. There may be a link to an ILL request form. If you need the
article, you may request it through Interlibrary Loan (ILL) using the link within
the database or complete and submit the online ILL form. Note: There is usually a small fee for ILL materials.
Step 4: Evaluate your results. Refine your search.
Limit by date, peer reviewed items, or subject. Add additional key words. Store and manage your articles, if possible.
Use a Citation to Find an Article
To find the full text article of a citation, first identify if ORU has the periodical for the date you need then simply follow the links to the article full text.
If the article is not available at ORU, you may choose to request it through Interlibrary
Step 1. Go
to the A-to-Z Journals List and key in the periodical title.
Step 2: Under the periodical title, click a database link that has the date(s) you need. (In the sample record below, the date is circled.)
Step 3: Follow the links to the full text. Select the year, volume and issue identified in the citation.
- If the article date you need is available in a database, click the database link then follow
the links to access the date/issue you need. Browse to find the article title then click the HTML, PDF or similar full text link.
- If the periodical is available
in the Oral Roberts University Library Catalog, record the format (print/hard-copy, microfilm or CD-rom), location and call number to find the item in the library.
To access the Journals List on the Library page:
Click the A-to-Z Journals List tab, then click the Search button.
Key in the periodical title. Click Search. Use title keywords or the exact title for the journal, magazine, newspaper, etc. (Do not key in the article title). If you know the exact title, then mark Search Type: Exact Match.
See the library
research guide: How to Find Periodicals (Journals,
Find an Article Using a Partial Citation
You may want to find an article but know only part of the citation information.
For example, you may know the journal name and the article content or author's name but not the article title nor publication date. Or, you may know the article subject, author and/or approximate publication date but not the journal name.
Step 1: Go to the A-to-Z
Journals List and key in the journal/magazine title.
Step 2: Under the title, click a database link that shows coverage of the date you need.
Step 3: Follow the links on the detailed journal page to go to
the date you need.
Step 4: Browse the list of articles for that date to find the one you need.
Follow steps #1, #2 and #3 above.
Step 4: If available, click and use the Search
within this publication link (shown circled in the image below), which searches all issues and volumes of the journal. Type your subject, author or keywords, and then browse the list of articles.
Step 1: Go to OneSearch (searches multiple databases, simultaneously).
Step 2: Select several or all databases to search.
As shown in the example at the right, SAGE: Sociology and EBSCO Social Work Abstracts have been selected for the search.
Step 3: Use Advanced Search
in the database(s) to select appropriate fields (author, keyword, title, etc.) then key in as much information as you know.
Note: To search an exact title, type the title
words within quotation marks.
Step 4: Follow the link(s) to the full text.
Article - Formats and Location in the Library
If an article is not available full text (HTML, PDF or similar) in the database(s) you are using, it may be elsewhere in the library. For example, in addition to
full text online, articles are available in current issues, bound volumes and on microfilm and CD-ROM.
Hard Copy: Print and Paper
Single issues and multiple volumes or
issues bound together for easier storage.
Current Issues are located in the Periodical area and arranged alphabetically by title in the bins along the wall by the GC/LRC doors.
To find current issues: Browse the shelves for the Journal/magazine title then look for the issue.
Bound Volumes are located in the Periodical area and arranged by call number on the shelves.
find bound volumes: 1) Search the library catalog for the title and date you need. Then 2) Record the call number and date or volume/issue numbers to find the journal or magazine on the shelves.
A strip of film wound
on a spool that contains images of the journal/magazine pages.
Location: Periodical area, in the "yellow" microfilm file cabinets along the wall. Arranged by call number, then volume and issue numbers.
find microfilm: From the library catalog record, print or record the call number and date or volume and issue numbers that you need. Go to the
microfilm cabinets and find the item.
Microform readers are available to review articles, print them or save the article in PDF format then email
it. Assistance is available at the Reference Desk.
may ONLY be available on CD-ROM, as noted in the library catalog journal title record.
Location: The CD-ROM computer in the
Periodical Area, by the bound periodical stacks.
Note that CD-ROM is only available for use in the Library.
Click the to link to the vendor's database descriptions.
OneSearch - The EBSCO Integrated Search Interface