Residents: Getting Started at UC San Diego: Find Articles

The UCSD Libraries have many article databases to select from as well as many clinically-focused tools. 

Use this page to learn more about:

Sometimes you know exactly what article you want and you're just trying to figure out if you can get a copy at the library.  If you have the citation information (title, author, journal title, volume number, etc.), there are 2 ways you can find out.

Example:
Harnad, S. "Why and how we are Not Zombies." Journal of Consciousness Studies 1.2 (1994): 164-7. 

1.  Catalog Search

• Go to the catalog
• Do at Title/Journal Title search for the name of the journal
• If you get too many results limit it to Journals/Serials
• E-journals are found in the same way.  If a journal is available online,  links are provided to the full-text.
• If the article isn't available online, check to see if we have the year you need in print. Then note the Location & Call Number.

2.  Citation Linker -- using UC-eLinks

• Go the Citation Linker form
• Select the type of item you seek -- book, book chapter, journal article, etc. 
• Fill in as much information as you have -- the example below is an article with the article title, name of the journal, & the volume number
• Click Continue   

• The UC-eLinks screen (see below) will appear with your options for electronic access or print aceess th rough Roger (see instructions above) 
• If we don't have the article you need, use the Request link and request a copy through Interlibrary Loan.  Articles are usually sent by email in 4-7 business days.

How to find the full-text of the article:

Some databases include the full text of the article in the database.  Look for icons or links that say:

• HTML  (good version for reading on a computer screen)
  
• PDF  (good version for printing or saving to a portable drive)
  
• Full Text  (no specific format listed, but full text nonetheless)
  

If the article isn't available full-text within the database you found it, click on the orange UC-eLinks button  to checkfor other full text as well as print options.  UC-eLinks checks to see if the article is available through UC San Diego Libraries's subscriptions - whether it is online or in print. 

UC-eLinks makes it easy to:

1. Check for online access
   
2. Check the catalog (Roger) for the print version
3. Use Request to have us get a copy from another library (known as interlibrary loan)
4. Format the citation information in one of 5 sytles to easily paste into your bibliography - use Copy & Paste citation
   

Can I search for articles at home?

Yes! The Libraries online resources are restricted so that only current UCSD faculty, staff, and students can view them from off-campus. In order to get access to these resources from an off-campus computer, you need to connect your computer to the UCSD network.

There are three ways to do this:

1. Proxy server 

2. Virtual Private Network (VPN)

3. Web VPN
   

Interlibrary loan (ILL) is the service libraries provide when they do not own the item you want.  We will work with our partner libraries and borrow a book, video, or get a scan of a journal article at your request. 

• If working in a database, look for the Request link in UC-eLinks (see the box, How to get to full text for a picture). 
  
  
• Know the details of a specific citation you need?  If so, use Citation Linker to look for it in UCSD's collection and make your request if we don't have it.  (See details).
  

• Check the status of or renew an ILL item?  For details on how to, see Viewin Your ILL Requests on Using My Library Account tab. 
  
  
• Find more information about what can be requested and what cannot be requested by visiting our Requesting Books and Articles FAQ.