Your library provides access to millions of electronic resources--including newspaper articles, journal articles, ebooks, and more via our Library Search and in individual databases. Use the Library Search to get started and sign in with your Western login if prompted.
You sure can. Any of the databases in our Databases A-Z list can be searched directly. Different databases have different types of sources and they can cover different subject areas. Some cover multiple subjects while others are specialized. You or your instructor may have a favorite, or feel free to contact a librarian if you'd like a personalized recommendation or help with your research.
Whatever you want! You can search library databases using keywords, titles, authors, magazine or newspaper names. You can also limit your searches using filters for publication date, subject, or other criteria.
For more information on constructing searches, we recommend taking a look at our guide on the research process.
You can find a wide variety of information and resources using library databases. These resources allow you to search for a topic, browse a specific publication, or find articles relevant for your research. Most databases (including the ones below) provide tools such as basic and advanced search boxes, source citations, subject suggestions, and search filters.
A giant database that covers a wide range of topics. Use it to find peer-reviewed scholarly articles, as well as articles from trade journals, newspapers, and magazines.
Databases are collections of resources that are organized for strategic searching. Browse the full list of library databases and other recommended resources. You can use the filters to look for databases for a specific subject or choose one of the Popular databases if you're not sure where to begin.
Break down your topic into search terms (for best results, use nouns).
The Advanced Search gives you multiple search boxes. This can help you narrow your results and also break down your topic into searchable components.
Within the advanced search, the Document Type or Publication Type category is a good place to specify what you are looking for.
Select the Full Text checkbox to be sure you get whole articles, not just short summaries and citations.
The Publication search can help you target a few specific laboratory medicine journals to search within. Search for "laboratory" or "clinical lab" in the description/summary box to find relevant journals.
Pay attention to the Subject terms you find. Jot down terms relevant to your research, they may lead to better articles.
The Abstract is a concise summary of the article and can give you a sense of whether or not the article will be helpful.
Struggling to identify a primary article (AKA original research)? Look for specific sections such methodology, data set, results, and analysis.
The Cite / Citation tool is very handy for help with citing your sources. Be sure to document your citations and save your articles as you research so you don't have to retrace your steps later.
