UCSB Library Search
Perform your search, then select Resource Type > Articles.
Recommended Databases
- BIOSIS Citation Index This link opens in a new window- Best database for finding articles, book chapters, conference proceedings and technical reports in biology
- Use the drop-down menus on the right hand side of the search screen to limit your search. Some helpful limits:
Topic – use this to search by keyword
Literature type/Literature Review--use to get articles that summarize the research on your topic
Taxa – to limit your search to articles about a particular organism
Year published – enter a date range, such as last 5 years if you only want the most recent articles on your topic
- Use the “Refine your results” feature at the left of the screen for ways to narrow down a large set of results, or use the “search within results” box. - Aquatic Sciences & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA) This link opens in a new windowExcellent database for marine or fresh-water species and habitats
- Biological Science Collection This link opens in a new windowSmaller database than BIOSIS, but will give you some citations you don't find when searching BIOSIS
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window- Check the box for "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals" under "Limit your results"
- This database is multidisciplinary and will include articles from a variety of subject areas - Google Scholar This link opens in a new window
Enables you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports from all broad areas of research. Find articles from a wide variety of academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories and universities, as well as scholarly articles available across the web.
Have a Citation and Need Access?
First, use Google Scholar and search for the title of the article. Look for the link to the pdf or UC eLinks on the right side. If you do not see the article, use the Citation Linker where you should see if the UCSB Library has access to it or use the Request function to request a copy through Interlibrary Loan.
Interlibrary Loan
Please note that Interlibrary Loan services are slowed down during the COVID-19 outbreak and some items may not be easily obtained, especially if they are older and not owned online by other institutions.