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Frequently Asked Questions

Databases

Databases:

Articles can be found in the library's databases. Library databases are searchable, contain citation information (author, title, publisher, abstract, date published, etc.) and often contain full-text articles. Databases can be multi-disciplinary covering many subjects or they can be subject-specific focusing on a specific area of study. 

SearchONU: Always a good place to start out and test your topic. SearchONU is the library's database that searches most of the other databases, e-journals, e-books, the POLAR catalog, as well as the OhioLINK catalog.

Additional general and subject-specific databases:

For topics that need a more specialized database than SearchONU, or are outside the general scope of databases listed on a research guide for a course and include elements that might be part of a different discipline's subject-specific databases, make sure to check out the "Databases -- Alphabetical & Subject Listings" link below.

Examples: For food-related topics, look in the alphabetical listing for the "Food Science Source" database. For topics related to communications or journalism, take a look at the "Communication & Mass Media Complete" database under C in the alphabetical listing. For those related to illegal drugs or other criminal activity, database subject areas for "Criminal Justice & Law," "Psychology," and "Sociology" might be helpful.

Google Scholar

Finding ONU Resources in Google Scholar:

Google Scholar can be helpful in identifying articles that have cited a specific article that you've already found. It is okay to use Google Scholar to find articles in general, but the other databases offer more ways to narrow/refine your searches.

On campus, you are automatically linked to the Libraries' resources. However, off campus you need to adjust your settings as shown below: 

  1. Sign in to Google Scholar with your ONU email username and password. (Your email address will appear in the top right-hand corner if you are already signed in)
  2. Click on Settings at the top of the page.  
  3. Click on Library links in the left-hand column.  
  4. Type in Heterick Memorial Library and click on Save.  

Finding ONU Resources via Google Scholar

Searching and Refining Your Results