The Library provides access to over 80 databases that allow you to search for articles in hundreds of journals. Some databases are subject-specific, while others are multidisciplinary. Many focus on journal articles, but some have other sources, from videos to statistical information. This section will help you to navigate some of the key functions and features of databases.

How do I access the Library databases?

You can see the full list of databases by clicking on the Databases link on the library home page.

You can also find a subset of the most useful databases for any given subject area by checking the Subject Guide for that topic.

If you are off-campus, you will be prompted to login to authenticate yourself as a StFX user. The login is your StFX email address and the password is your email password.

How can I get full-text articles?

There are two ways to access full-text articles in databases:

(1) Once you’ve performed a search, some of the results will usually include links to full-text PDFs if they are available. Click PDF Full Text to view or download a copy of an article.

(2) If a search result does not have a direct link to a PDF, click on StFX Check for Full Text to search for the article in other databases.

If we have access to the full text of the article in another database, the system will link to it.

If the full text is not available, click on the Request Item option and follow the steps for Document Delivery as described earlier.

Key Features

Autocomplete Suggestions

In some databases, when you begin typing a word in a search field, you’ll notice that the database will provide suggestions for a search term or variations on a search term. These suggestions are based on popular searches done by other database users across the globe, and they can be helpful if you need inspiration for finding additional terms that are relevant to your search.

The example below shows some of  EBSCO CINAHL’s suggested terms when a user begins to type “teenagers” in the search field:

Limiters

Databases also provide limiters such as those in Novanet. The amount and type of limiters vary from database to database. In ProQuest and EBSCO databases, limiters appear below the search boxes on the Advanced Search screen, and more than one limiter can be applied to any search.

For research assignments, you are often required to choose sources that are both peer-reviewed and recently published (within the last three or five years). Two important limiters that directly address those requirements are

Published Date, which limits your search results to materials published during a certain time period (e.g., anything published within the last five years), and

Peer Reviewed, which limits your search results to materials published in peer-reviewed journals. If you do not check this box, your results will include articles from publications that do not go through the peer-review process.

Remember to choose limiters sparingly and with caution! It is possible to overuse limits and inadvertently exclude materials that may be relevant to your research topic.

NOTE: Do NOT use the Full Text limit. This will prevent you from finding articles that the library can access through other databases or subscriptions.