• Librarian: Alison Bobal
• Office Location: The Valley Library
• Office Hours: By appointment
• Email: Click to reveal email

Before you start searching, it helps to understand how database searching works.

Controlled vocabulary
Some databases (e.g. MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus) have controlled vocabularies (thesauri) which are useful because they provide a consistent way to retrieve information that may use different terminology for the same concept.

Combine terms using the Boolean Operators "AND" or "OR"
AND narrows your search (fewer results)
OR broadens your search (more results) - use between synonyms 

For more successful searches:

• Generate synonyms for keywords before you begin searching. Having a list of synonyms will help you if any of your keywords do not retrieve many results.
• Look at the subject headings that are used in the database records you've retrieved. These subject headings may lead you to keywords that you had not considered.

When writing a paper, you need to cite your sources (i.e. journal articles, books, book chapters, etc.) so people reading your paper can see where you got your information.

The OSU Libraries' Style and Citation Guide can help you format your sources properly.

To find journal articles, you can search databases by using keywords that cover your topic. 

MEDLINE - the largest biomedical literature database that includes over 17 million citations to articles related to all aspects of health and medicine and is international in scope. Coverage is from 1950-present.

SPORTDiscus - covers both books and journal articles in the following areas of sport: recreation, exercise physiology, sports medicine, coaching, physical fitness, the psychology, history and sociology of sport, training, and conditioning. Coverage is from 1830-present.

Web of Science - offers access to multidisciplinary information from approximately 8,700 research journals. It also provides a unique search method, cited reference searching, which allows you to find articles that cite a previously published article. Coverage is from 1970-present.

With the exception of articles that are available in full-text within a database, you will need to locate the actual journal (in print or online) to read the article.

In the database you are using, look at the Source. The source is the journal in which the article is found.

• Step 1: Check the E-Journals list to see if the journal (aka "Source") you need is available online.
• Step 2: If the journal is not online, find the call number for the journal in which the article is found. (Use the library catalog for this step.)
• Step 3: Go to the floor of the library on which the call number can be found. Use the floormaps to help you.

Interlibrary Loan is a free service that allows you to get journal articles that are not at OSU Libraries. To use this service , log in with your ONID ID and password and fill out a request form.

You will receive an email when your article has arrived. Please allow at least one week for your article(s) to arrive.