Article Databases
Search an article database to find citations (title, author, title of journal, date, page numbers) for articles on a particular topic. The Library gives you access to over 200 article databases covering different disciplines.
1. Think about which academic disciplines might write about your topic. Examples: literature, film, anthropology, history...
2. Find the appropriate article database by subject (academic discipline or department). Look for "Recommended" databases.
Library home > Articles > Article Databases by Subject
Sample Searches - Article Databases
Sample Searches in MLA Bibliography (language, literature, film)
Library home > Articles > Article Databases by Subject > Literature > MLA Bibliography
joy luck club (keywords)
california (keywords)
immigra* (keywords)
if necessary check off "English only"
Sample Searches in America: History and Life (history)
Library home > Articles > Article Databases by Subject > America: History and Life
california (select a field - optional)
mexican* (select a field - optional)
historical period from: 1840 to 1860
Search Results
- click on the title to see full record (including abstracts and descriptors)
- to limit by publication type (peer-reviewed journals, conferences, books, etc.) click on the appropriate tab or link
- if necessary,look for other limits (latest update, journal articles only, english only) and more advanced searches
- select records to save to your personalized list; lists may be e-mailed, downloaded, printed
UC-eLinks - Find Article Text/Location
Once you've searched a database to find articles, you may need to use
to link to a PDF or html file if the full text is not immediately available. Each database is a bit different, but a good rule of thumb is this: when you see the Uc-eLinks icon click on it to view your article access options, which can range from full text to a call number to an Interlibrary Loan request:

For more information, here's a tutorial on using UC-eLinks.
About JSTOR!
Library home > Articles > General Article Databases > JSTOR
Everyone Loves JSTOR:
- interdisciplinary
- scholarly
- full text available AND searchable - you may find topics you won't find elsewhere because they're only part of an article on a related topic
- covers journals from their earliest publication dates
CAUTIONS:
- DOES NOT INCLUDE THE LAST 3-5 YEARS of a journal! not good for contemporary topics!
- doesn't include as many journals in a particular discipline as the discipline-specific database (example: MLA Bibliography for literature)

