Skip to Main Content

Get Started with Research Methodology

This guide is intended for graduate level researchers in most fields.

Finding Articles in Library Databases

Look through NSU Libraries' LibraryLearn tutorials for short videos on these resources, skills, and sample topics.

Databases
When you are searching for articles on a thesis or dissertation topic, you will want to make sure you are in a subject-specific database. These databases are more appropriate for graduate level research than general databases.

Alvin Sherman Library subscribes to a wide variety of databases to support the programs at the university. Check out the list of databases organized by subject area.

Search Strategies
Need a refresher on how to efficiently search for articles in databases?

Using FindIt! for Full Text (within the databases)
Don't miss out on relevant resources by limiting your databases searches to full text only!

The library's FindIt! tool links all of the library's databases together to help you get to the full text of an article. If full text isn't available in the database you're searching, you'll see the FindIt! icon; click on it to see what other databases have access to the article. 

Dig a Little Deeper

To help brainstorm ideas for your research you can also look at dissertations on your topic to find articles, theories, methodologies, and recommendations for future research.  However, keep in mind that dissertations are not peer reviewed, so while you can use them as examples you will most likely not want to cite them in your own research. 

Use the databases below to search for dissertations. The MARPs database contains dissertations from students in the Fischler School of Education while the ProQuest Dissertations & These Database contains dissertations from students around the world. NSUWorks is NSU's institutional repository and it contains our students' dissertations and theses, along with other publiblications.

How to Follow Citations

The reference lists of articles and dissertations can be a great place to look for more sources. Use the library's tools listed below to help you access the full text of the source. If you have any trouble, remember you can always ask a librarian for help. See our short video tutorials.

Using Full Text Finder
If the citation is for an article, use Full Text Finder to see if the library subscribes to the journal electronically. 

Using DOI Tools
If the citation has a DOI number, use the library's DOI Tools to search for the document. 

Using the Library Catalog (NovaCat)
If the citation is for a book, use NovaCat to see if the library has the book. You can also use NovaCat to see if the library has a journal in print.