Searching For Articles by Topic

KEYWORD SEARCHING - Many databases have a keyword option. Using this you will probably retrieve more results. Also, if you do not know specific subject headings, keywords can be searched throughout the record or the full-text article. These options vary depending on the database. Please consult with Reference librarians, especially if you have difficulty retrieving results.

Example of a simple keyword subject search or keyword title search.

ethnograph* and kinship and afr*

Example of a broad combined topic search on African Americans and Civil Rights.

(afr* or blacks or race or racial or ethnic* or minorit*) and (civil rights or discrimination or segregation or boycotts or riots or protest or social movements)

The asterisk * acts as a wild card and looks for any word/s with that root. So afr* will also find the words African Americans and Africans as well as Afro-American. Using parentheses with synonyms separated by "or" allows you to add "like" or related terms. Intersecting the sets of related terms with "and" allows one to search for multiple topics, while locating at least one of the "like" terms from each of the sets.

Subject Indexes and Databases Many subject specific indexes and abstracts are available via the University Libraries' Web Site Africana Studies Key Resources. To search for journal articles by topic you must search print or electronic abstracts, indexes, or full-text sources and bibliographies. Print sources are often duplicated in electronic databases and sometimes are found on the Internet. As of September 2001, online journals and databases can be accessed from one large list under Databases and On-line Journals from the library home page. One can search by title for a known journal or database. However, you cannot search for articles by topic in this section. You must go to a specific subject index/database or to an individual journal site to search by topic.

Another way to find this page is to go directly to the Research a Subject link, then choose Africana Studies (or other subject) and then click on Key Resources to find the list of key resources on a topic recommended by each Subject Librarian. Unless a database is described as only being available in the library, you can use it from any computer on campus with Web access. Use the "About" button to find out more about each of the databases listed.

There are several places one might have to search to find articles. Here are a few. "YES, this can be very confusing! Please feel free to call or ask for assistance at the Reference Desk!"

*Electronic Journals only available on the Internet, by scholarly associations ex) Electronic Journal of African Bibliography

*Full-text articles can be searched by topic from a particular database if the database contains full-text.

*Full-text articles appear in JSTOR or MUSE full-text journal packages.

*Full-text articles can be searched from "aggregator databases" such as EBSCO or Contemporary Women's Issues or International Index to Black Periodicals. Other databases will list citations and possibly abstracts but may not include full-text, like African Studies, Sociological Abstracts, Women=s Resources International, International Political Science Abstracts. After finding the citations in print or electronic indexes, bibliographies, reference sources, you must then check our catalog to determine if we own the journal in print and it is stored on the library shelves.

Locating Periodicals * ADVANCE Library Catalog has only the titles of the journals we own, some online journals are currently included but not all. * Journal titles could also be listed in an "aggregator database index" called the "Serials Solutions" list. This list provides titles of journals and the corresponding database or index where the full?text journal appears.

Select examples of print journals found in the Periodicals Room: Afro-American Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal. ULIB Per E 184.7 A33

Afro-Americans in New York Life and History. ULIB Per E 185 A35

Journal of Afro-American Issues. UAlbany Main Library Per E 185.5 J68X

Journal of Black Studies. UAlbany Main Library Per E 185.5 J8

Journal of Negro History. UAlbany Main Library Per E 185 J86

If the Libraries so not subscribe to a particular journal our own a book you need, you can order from our Interlibrary Loan Service. Please allow at least 3 weeks for this service.