Research Help

Our research databases are the place to go for journals, magazines, and newspaper articles. Here are the steps:

1. Go to the Research Databases page

2. Choose a database. If you are not sure where to start, try Academic Search

3. When prompted, enter your Holy Family Canvas credentials (your HF email address and password)

4. Enter search terms and use the search limits if necessary.

5. If an article is not in full text, we can obtain a copy for you via interlibrary loan. You can use the interlibrary loan link in the databases or fill out the form here.                              

What kinds of articles do you need? Some databases contain articles from all kinds of periodicals; others contain only scholarly content or only newspaper articles. You can determine which database(s) are most appropriate to search by reading the description for each on the Research Databases page.

Types of Periodicals:

Journals -- Journal articles contain research written by scholars who specialize in a particular field of study. Journal articles focus on very specific topics. Use journals to find scholarly research, original research studies, and literature reviews. Peer-reviewed articles are reviewed by a board of fellow experts before they are published.
Magazines -- Magazine articles contain general interest and/or news information. Magazine articles are written by journalists, and they are intended for a general audience. Use magazines to find popular or general interest information. Some magazines are directed at a specific audience--for example, nurses or teachers. These periodicals are known as "trade publications."
Newspapers -- Newspaper articles contain up-to-date information about current events. Newspaper articles are written by journalists, and they are intended for a general audience. Use newspapers to find local information and current events.

Not sure where to start? The Academic Search database is a general, multipurpose database that includes magazine, journal, and newspaper articles.

Learning to search databases effectively is not difficult, but it helps to know how databases work.

• Each database lists, categorizes, and tags articles from selected periodicals.
• On a search page, search a database's particular collection by entering terms (keywords)
• Applying various limiters to control the amount and type of results you retrieve. Limits include date range, publication type, full-text availability, the population group studied, and much more.
• Limiters can be applied before starting a search, or you can refine your list of results by applying them one by one on the results page.
• Once on the results page, click on an article title to see the full citation and, generally, an abstract (summary) of the article.
• If the full text (the full article) is available, you'll see a .pdf or .html icon.
• Use the interlibrary loan option to obtain a copy of the article from another college or university.
• Every database has its own "Help" section with instructions and tips for searching.

Ebsco databases include Academic Search, CINAHL, Education Source, and PsycINFO, just to name a few. Here are a BASIC and an ADVANCED search tutorial for Ebsco databases.