We've already looked at how to find books about your topic in the library and today we need to turn to how to find articles on your topic.

Books are good sources of background information, but they can be very long and difficult to read.  Sometimes they are also a bit out of date.  For these reasons, you will want to find articles about your topic also.  Usually articles are shorter (not necessarily easier to read though!) and they have current information about your topic.

To get started searching for periodical sources, go to the library homepage <http://library.gmu.edu> and search in the Databases for article citations.

Specifically, for today's exercise use these links and subjects:

• Click on Databases
• Click on "A"
• Scroll to Academic Search Complete and click on it
• Search for an article within the subject areas of learning AND ____________(the topic you used for books before).

Once you have article citations, the work has just begun.  What type of work you must do depends on the type of text media available to you.

• If you are lucky and the results list full text or PDF pages, you can simply click on the link and printout the article
• full text = HTML format (webpage format), so it may printout more pages than you expect.
  
• PDF = Portable Document Format, which means you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on the machine you are using to read the file (most public-use computers on campus, in the labs and in the library, have it installed).
  
• If you need to download and install Acrobat Reader, click here http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html, the download is free.
  
• If no printable text is available, you need to see if Mason subscribes to the periodical you want (to find the article in it according to the date of original publication and pagination).
  
  • Click on the Mason Link + link
  • When the new "mini" window opens, click on the GO button after the words Search e-Journal Finder
    • You will be taken to another page that lists possible sources of on-line journals that will have the articlce in full-text --> check the date range carefully and if the dates match what you need, click the link for that e-journal
      • you may need to enter your keyowrd search terms again
      • click through the links until you get the article you want.
        
  • If no full-text version is available, you might still be able to get it in Fenwick
    • Check to see if Mason subscribes to a paper or film version of the periodical
      • Click on the GO button afer the words Holdings in George Mason VOYAGER Catalog
      • If Mason has the periodical, you will receive information about it that looks like the information you received when you serached for a book; clikc on the title of the periodical and scroll down to check for the following information:
        • location
        • years of subscription
        • media (print collection= paper/book; microform = microfilm or microfiche).
        • You must now go the Periodical Room in Fenwick (A wing) and begin your hunt! 

The first thing you should do is to buy a copy card or add money to your card if the balance is low.  You will need the card, and a high enough balance on it, for photocopies of your article if it is text based or for printouts if it is film based. 

Next, you need to decide what part of the periodical room you need to you. The following chart should help with this decision. Remember that regardless of the media you are looking for, material in the Periodicals Room is arranged alphabetically by title; there are no call numbers in this room! 

Periodicals are organized alphabetically by title ("The" and "A" are placed at the end of the a tile, e.g. "Journal of American Psychological Society, The").

Photocopy machines are located on the south east wall on the first floor of the periodical room.

Your ticket out of class today :

1. printout of a full-text periodical article  &
2. a photocopy of a print or film periodical article

I will be waiting for you at the end of class just to right of the main Fenwick exit (just to the right if you are inside looking out of the exit doors). Show me your photocopy/printout  then you will be free to go!