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Tips on How to Find Current Health and Science Articles

This web guide was created to assist you in locating current health and science magazine and newspaper articles using MCC Libraries online databases. It provides a list of recommended article databases to use to search for articles on your topic, article search tips, links to health & science websites, and information on citing style guidelines.

About MCC Libraries Online Article Databases

The MCC Libraries subscribe to a number of electronic databases you can use to search for articles on your particular topic. Some databases are full-text and therefore have entire articles from certain magazines, journals, and newspapers available to you to print directly from the computer.

To Access MCC Libraries Article Databases

To log-in to EZproxy, students must use the same username and password combination required to access their MCC Student E-mail Account. MCC
students can learn more about their college e-mail account by visiting the
"MCC Students" web page at http://www.monroecc.edu/Students/ and clicking on the "Lookup My Account" and "Common Questions" links in the "Email Help & Setup" drop down menu on the right side of the page.

SLN Access to SUNYconnect Online Article Databases

SUNY Learning Network Students can access article databases from within their online course by clicking on the "SUNYConnect" link located in the "Resources" section of their SLN ANGEL Course Map page. Once connected to the SLN Access to SUNYConnect Electronic Resources web page, click on the name of the database you want to search. You will then be prompted to enter your SLN Username and SLN Password to log in to search the databases.

Please note that some of the article databases that are available through SUNYConnect are also available through the MCC Libraries.

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Recommended Article Databases

The following databases are useful for locating magazine and newspaper articles in the fields of science and health. Here you will find articles from the following magazines: Discover, Harvard Health Letter, Health, National Geographic, Natural Health, New Scientist, Newsweek, Popular Science, Prevention, Science News, Scientific American, Time, U.S. News and World Report and many others.

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Terms / Keywords to use when Searching for Articles

A successful search for articles on your topic in the library databases depends upon what terms/keywords you type in the search box.

1.) You can perform a search in an article database using some of the
      recommended terms listed below.

      Examples of possible terms/keywords to use in your search include:

Example of a Simple Keyword Search

2.) You can combine these terms with your topic to create different search
     strategies using words such as and, or, not to help you locate more focused
     articles available on your topic. Combining keywords and a specific calendar
     year as shown below may also help you locate quality articles.

     Some examples of keyword search strategies include:

Example of a Keyword Search Strategy using
the word "and" to connect terms

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Additional Article Search Tips

• Search more than one database to locate articles, since there is variation in the subject terms used by each database, and also differences in the type and number of journals, magazines, and newspapers covered.

• Each library article database contains a "Help" section which provides numerous tips on searching, viewing search results, and print/e-mail/save options.

• If the full-text article is not available directly from the database make sure you write down or print off the citation for the article. You will need the citation information (title of the publication, author, title of article, volume, date, issue, and page numbers) to check if the article is available from the Libraries' print periodicals collection, or if you want to submit a request for Interlibrary Loan.

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Interpreting the Results of your Search

After you press the "Search" button you will see a list of records displaying the results of your search. Some articles in your results list will be available full text directly from the database, which you can then print off directly from the computer.

Notice in the image below, the different types of publications that appear in the results list for this search. The first is from Scientific American, the third is from Technology Review. Depending upon your topic, you may see a wide variety of publications appearing in your search results list.

Also notice that the results of the search are displayed in order by date, with the most recent article appearing at the top of the list.

Another thing to take into consideration when evaluating your search results is the length of the articles. Some are very short, only a couple hundred words, others may be a few pages, or up to 10 pages in length or longer. You want to make sure there is enough content in the article for you to read and write a summary on. Notice that the articles in the result list below are 1 to 2 pages in length.

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Other Options for Limiting your Search

Using search terms in combination with the different limiting options provided in each database may also help you narrow your search to find articles on your topic.

Note that the limiting options are labeled differently in each database. For example, in the Academic Search Premier article database you are able to limit your search results using options such as:  Full-Text, Publication Type, and Publication. While selecting the "Advanced Search" feature in the OmniFile Full Text Select database offers limiting options labeled as: Limit to Full Text Articles, Subject Area, and Limit Dates to.

In the example below I have limited my search to locate full-text articles available in Popular Science magazine.

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Health & Science News Websites

Current health and science news articles are sometimes available online from various news and magazine websites.

Some popular websites to visit include:

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Citing Your Sources

The MCC Libraries Citing and Writing Resources page provides links to learn more about grammar usage, the writing process, and citing styles such as the Modern Language Association (MLA) needed to properly document books, articles, websites, or other materials used in completing your assignments.

The "Help" sections in the article databases often provide guidelines and examples for certain citation styles, such as the Modern Language Association (MLA), showing how to format citations for full-text articles found in the database.

Print copies of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th edition, published in 2003 are available at the LeRoy V. Good Library (Brighton campus) LB 2369.G53 2003, and the Damon City Campus Library (CIty LB 2369.G53 2003).

If you are citing an article from one of the library's article databases using the Modern Language Association (MLA) Style here is an example of how you should format your citation according to the MLA web page How do I document sources from the Web in my works-cited list?

The article citation as it originally appears in the Ebsco MasterFile Select database

Example of how to cite an article available from a library subscription service (online article database)

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Need Additional Help?

For in-person assistance while on campus, stop by the Information Desk at the LeRoy V. Good Library, and the Reference Desk at the Damon City Campus Library. Librarians are always available to assist you with you information needs.

When you are off campus, you can reach a Librarian by telephone at 292-2319 (LeRoy V. Good) and 292-1420 (Damon), and also through our Electronic Reference Service http://www.monroecc.edu/go/eref.

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P. Czaja, Revised 3/2008, http://www.monroecc.edu/go/library