Find Scholarly Articles in Databases

Use Holman Library databases to find scholarship in chemistry and related fields.

• Limit to scholarly (peer reviewed) or academic journals when given as an option.
• A note on embargos: Many journals place a hold on their most recent publications. Academic Search, ProQuest and other library databases may be a year behind. If we do not have an article you need for your research, use InterLibrary Loan to try to borrow it for free from another library. Ask a librarian for help if you need it.

Using the Advanced Search feature in a database allows you to use more than one keyword or phrase (search terms) in order to get more relevant search results. In this screenshot from Academic Search Complete:

• "Organic Photovoltaic Cells" returns 97 articles
• Add the keyword "experiment" and you get just 1 very focused article.

(click on image to enlarge)

Search Tips:

1. Use multiple relevant search terms. Connect them with AND or OR to find sources on your topic. Avoid long phrases of natural language.
2. Limit to Scholarly Peer-Reviewed Journals
3. Set a date limit to find current enough information
4. To see what an article is about, click on the title. That opens the abstract.
   • For a research study, an abstract not only summarizes the article, but also breaks it down by Purpose, Methodology, Findings, and Conclusions. This is useful! 
5. Pay attention to and USE relevant subject terms you find
6. To open the full text of the article, click on either the PDF or the HTML of it.

Useful Databases

The Holman Library One Search searches across all library resources at once. 

This is useful in your search for peer reviewed sources. Be sure, however, to: 

• Find relevant Subject Terms in either Academic Search from Ebsco or ProQuest's Science and Technology collection.
• Check the filter box to include articles that are not full text only.