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AFS/HIST 220 African History to 1880s

This guide is designed to help the students in Dr. Candido's Fall 2024 Semester class with their research.

What is a Database?

Simply stated a database an electronic collection of records containing either full-text documents (text, video, music), citations, or abstracts of articles (or chapters in books).

Databases can be interdisciplinary (spanning several disciplines) or subject-specific (focusing on a particular discipline, such as history, psychology, or literature.)

Article Databases

Getting the Full Text of Articles

When you are searching for an article in a library database and you want to get the full-text of the article, there are 4 possible scenarios you could face.

Scenario 1: The full-text is available in the database you are searching. EASY! Just click the full-text link.

Scenario 2: The "Find it @ Emory" button   leads you to the full-text in another database. There are two steps in this process:

  • Click the Find it @ Emory button.
  • Click on the link to the resource that is listed after "Full text available at:"

Scenario 3: The "Find it @ Emory" button does not lead to the full-text, but the Libraries own the print copy of the journal. 

  • Search the journal title in Library Search. You can limit your search using "Journals" in the drop-down below the search box.
  • When you find the record for the journal, click the "Locate/Request Item" tab to see what volumes we have.
  • If you find your volume and it's located in the library you are in, you can use the call number to find the volume in the bookstacks.
  • If you find your volume and it's located at a different library or the Library Service Center, you can request the volume if you log in to Library Search (use "Log In" at top right of Library Search). Another option is to request just the article you need using the "Request Article or Chapter" tab in discoverE -- if available. This will give you the option of getting the article scanned for you.

Scenario 4: We do not have the article online or in print but you can request it using our Interlibrary Loan service. (Click the "Locate/Request Item" tab and then "Request via Interlibrary Loan" to have the request form pre-filled for you.)

Scenario 5:  If you are using Google Scholar and there is no full text link - search the TITLE OF THE JOURNAL or the Book Title in the Library Search Catalog to see if Emory has the journal or book available as a paper copy or electronically.