ENT 300/HORT 330: Pests, Plagues and Politics

There are many routes you can use to find scientific research articles (aka - scholarly articles, peer reviewed articles, journal articles or original research articles). This guide will give you options for several of those routes.

1. If you have a topic, but no specific articles in mind - start with the databases suggested on this page.

2. If you have the names of some specific sources, but don't have the full-text. Use 1Search to look for the title.

Search 1Search to find books, online scholarly articles or newspaper articles that OSU subscribes to or that we can borrow for you for free. 

• Advanced search - If you need to find specific items, such as books by a particular author, use the advanced search option for more precise searching. 
• Use the drop-down menu to access the journal title search to find specific journal titles like the Journal of Ecology.
• Click Databases A-Z to find specialized subject search tools like Web of Science or Academic Search Complete.

It can be helpful to use a database that is more targeted to your field.  Search these databases to find original research articles, conference proceedings, and other scholarly sources relevant to researchers in horticulture. In addition it can be a good idea to search for sources via broad, multidisciplinary search tools like 1Search or Google Scholar.

Use more than one database to make sure you're finding the most perspectives on your research question. Databases are often organized by subject (for example, Environmental Science or Psychology). Specialized subject databases can help you search more precisely in your field. Find subject databases in your field by clicking the Databases A-Z link below the search box on the OSU Libraries homepage. On the databases page, select a subject area to see a suggested list of databases in your field.

Learn more about searching in subject databases by watching this tutorial.

The most effective way to search the online databases is to enter terms or keywords that effectively describe your topic.

• Use broad, meaningful keywords when you search. Don't use sentences or phrases.
• Use just a few keywords (1-3). You can always add keywords later if you need to refine your search.
• Use the facets or limits to help refine your search. For example, you can narrow your search by date or by geographic region.
• When you review your results, look at the abstracts or subject headings for other keywords you can use to improve your search.
• Be prepared to do several searches. Research is a process that takes time.

 Look for the button to open the full article.

Options for getting to the PDF will open in a new window. Sometimes the link will take you to the journal, not the individual article. Use the citation information for the article to get to the right year, volume and issue of the journal.

If the library doesn't have it, request the article for free from Interlibrary Loan. On average, articles arrive digitally within one business day.

You do allow embedded content.

With Google Scholar you can search broadly (across several disciplines) with one search.  You can use Google Scholar to find peer-reviewed articles, but you will also find pre-print copies of articles, conference papers, white papers, patents, legal opinions and more.

1.  Before you start -- go to Scholar Preferences (click the settings icon in the upper right corner), click on Library Links on the left-hand menu, and enter Oregon State University in the Library Links field. Save your preferences.
2. Enter your keywords in the search box.
3. Browse results, making sure to use the library's subscriptions to get access the text of the articles where you can.Use the Get This Item at OSU link on the left to access the article.