For general information about how to use QuickSearch, which searches across multiple databases in a single interface, visit our QuickSearch Help page. For help finding articles within specific databases, see the instructions below.
1. Choose a database
Articles are published in journals, magazines, and newspapers that are indexed in a variety of online databases. Since no single database provides access to every article ever published, you may need to search multiple databases to find what you are looking for. See Indexes and Databases to browse databases by title or subject.
You can also use QuickSearch to search most of our databases simultaneously.
2. Enter your search terms
Enter your search term(s) into the search box.
For the best results, break your topic or research question into 2 or 3 key concepts that can be used as keywords.
| Topic | Keywords |
| Does exposure to violent media adversely affect human behavior? | violence, media, behavior |
| Does soft drink consumption increase the risk of obesity in children? | soft drinks, obesity, children |
| How does class size impact academic achievement? | class size, academic achievement |
Use search operators (AND, OR, NOT) to define relationships between your search terms and create complex queries.
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Use AND to search for multiple keywords. media AND violence finds articles that contain both media and violence |
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Use OR to search for synonyms or related terms. children OR adolescents finds results that contain either children or adolescents |
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Use NOT to exclude terms from your results. dolphins NOT football finds results that contain dolphins but not football |
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3. Find the Full Text
Some databases provide the full text of an article (HTML or PDF), while others provide only citations or abstracts. If you don't see the full text of an article, click 
. This will take you to a new screen where you can see your access options.
If the full text is available electronically, you will see one or more links under "Find Online" that should take you to the full text.
If the full text is available in print, you will see the location(s) under "Find In Library."
If the full text is not available at Rutgers, you will see an option for Interlibrary Loan. For more information on the service, visit the Interlibrary Loan page.
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