FAQ: How do I find an article by citation?

Short, simple how-to and demos of frequently asked questions about using the Libraries and information resources

Understand a Citation

In order to find an article using a citation, you must understand the parts of a given citation. These include the article's full title, journal, author name, and more. How these parts are arranged varies between citation styles.

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Find a Cited Article

There are several ways go about finding an article via the UW Libraries website. However, the process is easiest when you have the article's citation handy.

1. Start by locating the UW Libraries Search tool on the Libraries' home page. Type the article's full title in quotes or the DOI in the tool's blank field and hit Enter.

screenshot of libraries home page basic search bar

Tip: if searching on the article title or DOI doesn't pull the right result, try searching for the full journal title instead. Alternatively, you can try searching using only part of the article title. Sometimes less is more!

2. Once you locate the correct article in the search results, click the article title or on "Check for online access." Make sure to log in with your UW NetID to see all of your options. This will usually provide a list of databases which provide electronic access to the article.

screenshot of check for online access; a red arrow points to the link to do so

Tip: If the article is not available from a database, a "Request Article" button may appear instead. Follow the prompts to request the article through other services. See What does the “Request Article” button mean?

3. If applicable, click one of the databases listed to be redirected to the article within that resource. Look for full-text indicators like Adobe PDF icon or screenshot of open lock icon on an orange background to download or locate the article full text.