Finding journal articles might seem confusing - but it doesn't have to be!
There are a few ways to find journal articles:
- Searching for a known item - Maybe someone tells you about a journal article or you find it in a bibliography, and you want to find a PDF and read that exact article. In this scenario, type as much information as you have about the article into the the search box at lib.umn.edu. If you can't find the article, reach out to Jessica Abbazio, Music Librarian, at jabbazio@umn.edu for help!
- Browsing a journal by title - Perhaps you're not looking for something specific, but you want to browse the newer issues of Early Music, Music Educators Journal, Music Theory Spectrum, or another journal to see what new research is out there. In this case, type the name of the journal into the search box at lib.umn.edu.
- Searching for keywords, author names, subjects, etc. in a Libraries database or catalog - You might have a topic in mind and want to see what research has been done on this topic by searching in multiple journals at one time. In this instance, search for your keywords the search box at lib.umn.edu or in a Libraries database! The Libraries subscribes to a number of resources that will allow you to search multiple journal titles at the same time. Think of these databases as if they were platforms like Netflix or Hulu, where you can find multiple shows and episodes of those shows:
- The database = the streaming platform
- The journals in which the articles are published = the specific shows you want to want
- The articles = individual episodes of that show!
Questions? Need help? Contact Jessica Abbazio, Music Librarian, at jabbazio@umn.edu!
Getting full text
When using Library resources, the FindIt link is your connection to accessing the full text of articles if a PDF link is not already visible.
This short video will show you how to get to the articles you need for your research paper or other University of Minnesota assignments. Never pay for articles! If we don't have it online, request it and we will get it for you.
RILM Abstracts of Music Literature with Full Text
- RILM Abstracts of Music Literature with Full TextRILM Abstracts of Music Literature with Full Text is a comprehensive bibliography of writings about music featuring citations, abstracts, and indexes. It covers over one million publications from the early 19th century to the present on traditional music, popular music, classical music, and related subjects, enhanced with the full text of more than 200 periodicals.
RILM is a great resource for searching many music-specific journals at once, so it's an excellent place to start your MUS 1801W research! Many articles will be available through RILM as a PDF - just look for the PDF icon. Other items may be available through other Libraries database, or we can get them for you quickly through Interlibrary Loan (ILL). If you don't see a PDF icon next to an article that you're interested in, click the maroon-and-gold M-Find It button to search for the item in another Libraries database or to easily place an ILL request - ILL is fast and easy, and the Libraries will email you a PDF!
You can also use the built-in features of RILM to limit your search results to peer-reviewed journals!
- Step 1: Click "Show more" on the left side of the search results
- Step 2: Check the box for "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals"
- Step 3: Click the yellow "Search" button
Tutorial: Let's talk databases: JSTOR
This video introduces the JSTOR database.
After viewing this video, you will be able to:
- Access the JSTOR database
- Perform keyword searching
- Filter and sort search results
- View the Full text of articles or download a PDF
- Generate a citation right in the database
And finally: you will know how to get Library help if you need it!