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Creative Advertising: Searching the Databases

How to use the Discovery Service to search for Journal Articles

This video will teach you how to use the Discovery Service to find resources for your assignments.

  • Please note that you do not have to go to MyLSBU to search the Discovery Service, you can search from your subject guide, Find Journal Articles page. *Updated email at end of video - askalibrarian@lsbu.ac.uk*

Trouble Accessing A Resource

Getting an error message when you try to access our e-resources? You may need to try a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, IE) or device, or clear your cache.

If you are unable to access one of our journal articles, e-books, or other online resources, you can contact our e-Resources Team who are able to assist. Alternative links will be available for a select number of resources when service issues occur.

Email details of the item you are trying to access along with a screenshot of any error messages to: llreres@lsbu.ac.uk

Finding Journal Articles from your Reference List

If you would like to find a particular journal article that you have come across on your reading list, etc. you can easily search for this on the Library Catalogue. It is even easier, if you have the reference for this article.

Our reference example above is in Harvard style. However, no matter what referencing style you have in front of you - determining the various components of a reference is a practical skill to possess.

  • You can complete a simple Quick Search on the Library Catalogue - by typing parts of the journal article and/or the author's surname in the second search box. This box is connected to several journal databases, called "Discovery Service".
  • You can also try looking up the journal title on the Journals tab in the Library Catalogue - working your way to the article by selecting the correct publication date, volume number, issue number and page number range.

Please see the help guide below for detailed information on finding a journal article or journal.

Searching tips

Tip 1: Think of your keywords and use AND to link them

It is important that you don't just search for a whole sentence or question and instead think carefully about what are your most important keywords

e.g. How has gentrification affected local communities in London?

Your keywords would be gentrification AND local communities AND London

Tip 2: Come up with alternate keywords (synonyms) and connect with OR

The database will just search for the keywords you enter into the search box, therefore you need to think about all the different ways something might be described 

e.g. gentrification may also be described as "urban renewal" OR "urban development"

Tip 3: Use quotation marks when searching for phrases

In order to keep two or more words together as a phrase, enclose them in quotation marks

e.g. "local communities" will look for the phrase "local communities" rather than individual words, "local" and "communities".

Tip 4: Use Truncation for words that start the same but may have different endings

A number of databases allow you to use the asterisk symbol * to save you time

e.g.  gentrif* will find gentrification, gentrifier, gentrify, gentrifying etc.

Google Scholar

Google Scholar Search

To access articles in Google scholar at home you can add in the library's subscriptions:

  • Click Search above to open a new window
  • Go to the 3 bar icon in the upper left corner
  • Select the cog wheel to open Settings
  • Select Library links from the left hand column
  • Search for London South Bank University - Full-Text @ LSBU
  • Tick the box to add our collections in to the search

You computer will remember this choice until you clear your cookies/cache. You do not need to do this step if you are on campus. 

Search strategy helpsheet

Use this sheet to put together a search strategy you can use in the databases.

LSBU Library and Learning Resources Accessibility Statement

Havering Library​

020 7815 5982

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