LibGuides: Social Work: Journal Articles

Is it a scholarly journal article?

Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory
Entries include information about whether the journal or magazine is a scholarly journal, consumer magazine, etc.

Additional strategies

Search the internet for the web site of the journal, which frequently includes instruction for authors. Often the instructions will use the phrase "peer reviewed" or say that manuscripts are sent for blind review, reviewed by a committee, or anonymously reviewed.
As you search for articles in the library's research databases, look for an option to limit your search to scholarly journals or peer-reviewed journals. These kinds of filters aren't perfect. It is still important to double-check the journal's web site if you have any doubts.

Find journal articles: A good place to start

Where do I find journal articles?

The most common tools used to find journal articles are databases. BGSU Libraries provides access to more than 300 databases from a variety of publishers and aggregators. It is important to note:

some databases only provide citations for articles
some databases provide full text of the articles in HTML or PDF formats
some databases provide a mix of citations only and some full text

The EBSCO suite of databases linked below is a good place to start.

EBSCO Databases
More than 80 of the library's databases are provided by a company called EBSCO. Use the link above to search all of them at the same time. You can also connect to EBSCO then click on "Choose Databases" to select specific EBSCO databases.

How do I get full text?

Click on the "access options" box. If you don't see "PDF" or "online full text" options, use the "Find it" link. One of the following scenarios may happen after clicking on "Find it"; the link will:

take you directly to the article at the publisher's web site
take you to the publisher's web site, where you may need to search again for the article title
OR, you may find that we do not have a subscription for the article. In that case, you can request the article through a process called Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

No full text? Request the source via Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
If BGSU does not have a subscription for the article you need, request it through ILL. Click on the link and enter your BGSU username and password. Fill out the information about the article and hit submit.

Find articles: Supplemental Databases

CINAHL Plus with Full Text
This database provides a detailed index and full text of scholarly articles in nursing and allied health literature, including biomedicine and consumer health, scholarly journals, evidence-based practice guidelines, and other publications. Additional materials include full-text evidence-based care sheets, quick lessons, health care books, nursing dissertations, selected conference proceedings, and continuing education modules.
Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition
Full text for hundreds of scholarly journals focusing on many medical disciplines, with a particular focus on nursing and allied health.
MEDLINE with Full Text
Index to scholarly journal articles on medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, pre-clinical sciences, and more.
PsycINFO 1887-Current
The premier index to journal articles and other scholarly publications in the field of psychology.
PsycNET
APA PsycNET is a search platform designed specifically to deliver American Psychological Association content, enabling users to efficiently search and discover behavioral science related material with engineered cross-database searching. The platform features full integration of APA's precise indexing with the controlled vocabulary of the Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms.
Social Work Abstracts
Indexing and abstracts for articles in social work and human services journals.
Certain journals may carry additional restrictions; please check copyright statements that appear with full text.
SocINDEX with Full Text
Index to scholarly publications in sociology, covering topics such as criminal justice, marriage and family, social work, substance abuse, and violence.
Web of Science
Index to articles in scholarly journals and conference proceedings from all fields of study, plus the ability to search these articles' bibliographies by cited author or work. Links to full text are included where possible.

Social Work: Journal Articles

What are journal articles?