Get the sources you've chosen
Hopefully at this point you've searched a few databases on your topic, and you've found some sources that could help you with your research.
You may have noticed that some databases only offer minimal details about a source (such as the author, title, possibly an abstract, etc.) but not the entire full-text of the source. However, the database should offer a link to get to the full-text. But each database is different and often links to full text are glitchy. The instructions below will help you gain skills for getting to full-text, but if you run into trouble (and many people do) then don't waste time – just ask for help. Use the blue ASK US! box on the library's home page and note that the chat service is the usually the quickest way to get assistance.
To get started, here's how to optimize your chances of getting to full-text:
Start your research from Cline Library's home page. The databases linked from Cline Library's home page are already set up to optimize your chances of getting to full-text!
If you are conducting research off-campus (rather than on the NAU campus network) then you may want to connect to the NAU campus network using VPN. VPN stands for Virtual Private Network and you can learn how to set it up here!
Next, let's suppose you're searching a library database, you found a source, and you want to see the full-text of that source.
If so, look for and click the FullText@NAU link, or try ANY other links that look promising. To the right you see an array of different links you might see depending on the database you are in. All of these could potentially lead you to the full-text of a source.
Note that in Google Scholar, the FullText@NAU link is over on the right side of your results, while other times it can only be found by clicking the double arrow below the source's blurb. Oh, and if you don't see links to Fulltext@NAU next to ANY of your Google Scholar results, then you may need to configure Google Scholar using these instructions.
QUESTION 1. Most databases don't provide the entire full-text of a source; instead, you have to find and click links that will (hopefully) link you out to the full-text.
true
false
WHAT'S NEXT? – Refer to these FIVE possible scenarios.
Scenario ONE: You easily get to the full-text. Hurrah! You are done.
The best-case scenario is that once you find and click any links you see to full-text, you'll get sent directly to the full-text of the source or to a page that has a direct link to the full-text of the source. If that happens, you're done, you've got the full-text. No need to consult any of the other scenarios below.
Scenario TWO: You see a new window with one or more promising links.
Try clicking links that appear under View It/Full text availability. These links should (hopefully) lead you to the full-text of the source you need.
Scenario THREE: You see a link to "Request from Document Delivery."
Click the link to Request from Document Delivery. This is a FREE service! Scroll down on this page to learn how to use the Request from Document Delivery service.
Scenario FOUR: You run into any number of confusing problems.
You might be sent to a page that doesn't seem to provide any obvious links to the full-text of the source, nor does it have a link to Request from Document Delivery.
Or, maybe the links you click prompt you to pay for access to the source; this is known as hitting a paywall.
If any of those things happen, or if you run into a different problem, simply use the blue ASK US! box on the library's home page to report the problem and get help; note that the chat service is the usually the quickest way to get assistance.
Scenario FIVE: You get to a record for a physical item in the library's collection.
You might end up seeing a record that looks like what you see to the right. This is a record for a physical item that can be found in the library. Here's what you do to find a physical item, such as a book, in the library:
1. Check to make sure it is in place and 'loanable' (which means it's not checked out by another library user).
2. Note its location, which might say Book Stacks or Ask Us Desk (Reserves) or Special Collections, etc.
3. Note its alphanumeric shelf-address also known as its call number.
4. Use the link to LOCATE to get a better idea where the book is in the library.
To actually find the item, it'll probably be easier to bring the item's location and call number to the Ask Us! Desk to get directions. You'll find this desk just to your right after you enter Cline Library.
Now, learn how to use the FREE "Request from Document Delivery" service.
To use this FREE service, the first thing you need to do is set up a Document Delivery account.
So, take care of that right now. Go to Cline Library's home page. Then, scroll down to find and click the box for Document Delivery Services.
After that, click the link to Access your account which you'll find on the right.
You'll then need to enter your credentials to log in and then you'll be presented with a form to set up an account. Fill in the form and submit it. This account that you've just set up will allow you to make requests telling staff at Cline Library to get the source you need from another library that is able to provide it. This service is also sometimes called "Interlibrary Loan" just FYI.
Once you've set up your account, when you click links to Request from Document Delivery, you'll probably be prompted to authenticate and log in. Then, you'll see a request form that's been auto-filled with the details of the source you want. Simply scroll down and click Submit Request. It usually takes a day or two for article PDFs to arrive, and a week or two for physical books to arrive. Don't worry, you'll get a notification in your email when the item is available.
WARNING: There are NUMEROUS auto-fill problems with the Document Delivery Form, such as:
The journal title field might have the journal name repeated three times.
The author's name might show up as just a comma, and many of the other boxes might be blank.
Etc. etc. etc. - there are lots of different problems, too many to list here.
If you notice errors, try to fix any of them as best you can before clicking Submit Request at the bottom of the form.
QUESTION 2. Since you now have a Document Delivery account set up, poke around a bit in it. What are the different types of requests you can make?
A. Article, Video, Book, Newspaper, Dissertation or Thesis, Conference Paper
B. Book, Article, Video, Conference Paper, Dissertation, Abstract
C. Book, Journal Article, Magazine Article, Newspaper Article
D. Article, Book Chapter, Book, Dissertation or Thesis, Media Item
(Answer at bottom of page.)QUESTION 3. Let's say you found a journal article that looks like it might be relevant to the topic you are researching. However, you can't seem to get to the full-text of the article. What should you do? Select the best answer from the choices below.
A. Use the library's chat service to ask for help.
B. Or, give up since it is too much hassle.
C. Or, drop out of college.
D. Or, choose a different topic.
(Answer at bottom of page.)
Ok, so what did you get out of Lesson 6?
You should be able to choose the best keywords that represent your topic and you should be aware of the benefits of experimenting with synonyms.
You should be able to search Quick Search on the library's website, and you should be able to navigate to other library databases.
You should know how to get the sources you need using links to full-text or document delivery, and you should know how to get help if you run into problems.
You are finished with Lesson 6.
What's next?
1) You can proceed to Lesson 7, or if you need to show you've mastered this lesson, you must take the test.
2) To take the tests associated with this tutorial, go to the LINKS TO ALL TESTS page and follow the instructions you see there. You should also DOCUMENT YOUR COMPLETION of tutorial tests.
3) Before you take the tests and/or move on to the next lesson, please fill out the adjacent survey to share your thoughts about Lesson 6! Note that the survey is anonymous so your name and email are not being collected or shared.