HSML 1300: Intro to the Helping Profession

How to Find Articles for Your Papers

When you need to find articles for your research, the library databases are the best place to look! They are like specialized search engines just for academic and news articles.

• Find links to the library databases through the Electronic Resource page 

Scholarly Articles and Popular Articles

• It's important to know the difference between these two types of articles because your professors will most likely want you to use scholarly sources.

Search for Background Information

• Get the Facts on Your Topic

  • Before you dive into a database, it helps to understand your topic first. Finding background information is like getting a roadmap for your research. It helps you find key concepts and keywords to use in your searches.

• Where to Start:

  • Subject-Specific Dictionaries & Encyclopedias: These are perfect for getting quick, reliable definitions and overviews of a topic. You can find many of these in Ebook Central.

    • Dictionary of Social Work: the Definitive a to Z of Social Work and Social Care

    • Encyclopedia of Social Welfare History in North America
    • Moving Beyond Assessment: A Practical Guide for Beginning Helping Professionals

• Ebsco EDS Research Starters

  • Research Starters can be found by searching Ebsco EDS. Just enter a search topic like "global warming" and if there is a research starter on the topic it will appear at the top of the results list page. 

    • When researching your topic, record key concepts, legislation, books, theories, and theorists. This information will help refine your database searches.
    • Literature reviews are articles written by field specific experts that offers valuable background information and identify significant studies. Search for literature reviews by including the keyword "review" in your database searches.
      • For example enter the following in the search field to discover relevant literature review:
        • "infant parental relationship" AND review 
    • Annual Reviews is another excellent resource for systematic reviews across various fields. However, UNT Dallas may not subscribe to all Annual Review journals. If needed, submit an interlibrary loan request for unavailable reviews.

Where to Start Searching

• Start by searching a multi-database search engine such as Ebsco EDS or ProQuest Central

  • Multi-database search engines allow you to:

    • Search more than one database at once

    • Find related information from several different fields

  • See Database tutorials for Ebsco EDS and ProQuest Central tutorial videos.

Where to Search Next

• Continue your search with subject-specific databases related to your topic area. 

  • Field Specific databases search articles published within a single field

  • You will receive fewer results but they will be more relevant to your subject

• Try searching the following databases

• PsycINFO: A key database that provides a comprehensive index of interdisciplinary bibliographic records that allows for targeted discovery across the full spectrum of behavioral and social sciences.

• PsycARTICLES: Provides access to the full text of over 119 research journals published by the American Psychological Association.

• Gale OneFile: Health and Medicine 

• JSTOR: Provides deep archives of many key journals back to the first issue. Please note that JSTOR does not have access to the most recent journal volumes. 

• Nursing & Allied Health Database

• Consumer Health Database

• Sociology Database

Going Further to Find the Best Research on Your Topic 

• Scopus is a comprehensive research database that allows users to find and track research 
  • Discover related research: Find articles that have cited a specific source, revealing connections and potential areas of interest.
  • Track research impact: Measure the influence of a particular study by analyzing the number and quality of citations it receives.
  • Identify emerging trends: Discover new research directions by examining the topics and methodologies used in citing articles.

Access the UNT Dallas Library electronic resources.

How to Request Articles, Book Chapters, and Books through the Tipasa Interlibrary Loan and Ebsco EDS

Often when searching the library databases (such as Ebsco EDS or ProQuest Central) you will find items such as articles that are not available as full-text links. You may request access to articles, book chapters, or books by submitting a Tipasa Interlibrary loan request. Interlibrary loan links will appear in the search results or you may submit interlibrary loan requests directly through your Tipasa account.  

1. From the database search results page click on the Request through interlibrary loan link.

2. Your Tipasa account will open to the request page. Fileds related to the request will be filled out. Review and update any informaiton then scroll down to the bottom of the page.

3. Review the About my Request section. Provide a Need by date.

Need By Date

• Please note that an article and book chapter will be delivered electronically. Please enter a 1-2 week need-by date.
• Book requests will be fulfilled through a physical book. Please provide 2-3 week need by date. 
• Requests will expire after the need-by date passes and Tipasa will no longer work to acquire the item requested.
• You may resubmit the request or contact the interlibrary department for further information. 

Copyright Acknowledgement

• Review the Copyright Acknowledgement
• Check the box to acknowledge the statement

Click Submit Request