PPLE 315-01: Rhetoric of "War on Drugs": Journal & Magazine Articles

If an article is not available in full-text, click the "Find It!" button.  

This will check if we have access through a different database and our print collection. 

If we do not have access, you will be given an option to order it through Interlibrary Loan (ILL).  Fill out the form and click "Submit." It takes about 2 business days to get articles.

There are 6 central concepts that are important to grasp in order build an effective KEYWORD search strategy in any article oriented database OR library catalog:

• #1:  If you have a MULTI WORD PHRASE you need to treat it differently - treat it like a mathematical expression, and put it inside a set of PARENTHESES:    For example:  Military Industrial Complex ===> (Military Industrial Complex)

• #2:  Meaningful use of synonyms - do not search for just one word to cover your core concept.  Try to include synonyms & unique phrases that are closely allied with your principal area of focus. Separate each of the synonyms with the OR command:    For example:   Child abuse ===> (Child abuse) OR (Abused children) OR (Sexual abuse) OR (Sexually abused) OR (Physical abuse) OR (Physically abused) OR (Emotional abuse) OR (Emotionally abused)

• #3:  Using WILDCARDS for variety of words that have similar starting point of spelling - do not search for just one word, if there are an entire family of words that all have the same base word.  The ASTERISK "*" is the wildcard to use for most article oriented databases.    For example:   Econom* will automatically pull in:  Econometric OR Econometrically OR Economic OR Economically OR Economize OR Economizing

• #4:  If you are trying to focus on a specific Geography, you really need to search for both the Name of the country / city / region, as well as searching for the People of that country / city / region, and sometimes adding in the name of their language.  For example, if you want to only focus on your topic in Holland, then you should formulate that component as ==> ( Holland OR Netherlands OR Dutch )

• #5:  If you have a HYPHENATED WORD you need to search for it both WITH and WITHOUT the hyphen::    For example:  Multi-National Corporations ===> (mutli-national corporations) OR (mutlinational corporations)

• #6:  Understanding the searching options of that particular database -- if your database has the capability of specifying a unique field to search, try looking for your topic under the SUBJECT umbrella.   For example:  an ordinary search as contrasted against  a subject only search

For some research topics, the difference in the number of articles retrieved between these two simple options could be a ratio of 4 to 1!

Article databases are the main tool for locating published journal articles.  Indexing only databases let you know that specific articles exist, but do not necessarily carry the full text of all underlying documents.   Full text databases provide either text only or complete images of underlying documents, but only from participating sources.  Some of the resources that are available from the Hatfield Library will cross connect indexing with online delivery of participating journals that this library has subscriptions.  If an entry does not carry either a PDF, HTML or Linked to Full Text tag, then you need to click on the Find It @ Willamette (usually displayed as a maroon colored button) in order to connect with an online source for your desired article.

Lets start with the most commonly used databases for PPLE topics:

• Academic Search Complete (from Ebsco) - This is a good starting place if you need full-text articles -- this is an interdisciplinary database that can limit results to full-text and peer-review (scholarly literature). When PDF or Full Text options are not listed, you can obtain the article by using the "Find It @ Willamette" button.
• How to Find Polling Information - Hatfield Library's guide to public opinion polls, as well as links to external resources that carry results of noteworthy pollsters.
• America History and Life (from Ebsco) - Covers history and culture for United States and Canada.  Coverage covers all possible times, from prehistoric times to the present. Indexes and abstracts over 1700 journals as well as book and media reviews and dissertations.  Has a unique feature of being able to specify range of years when your topic took place in history.
• Ethnic Newswatch - Provides access to a variety of full-text newspapers, magazines, and journals of the ethnic and minority press (mixture of academic/scholarly journals & "popular" non-academic publications). Includes access to historical coverage of Native American, African American, and Hispanic American periodicals from 1959-1989.  
• Gender Studies Database (from Ebsco) - Covers the full range of gender engaged scholarship including women's studies, men's studies from scholarly & non-scholarly sources. Primary coverage starts in 1972, with some sources going back the 1800s.
• GPO Monthly Catalog - Indexes all the federal government publications distributed through the Federal Depository Library Program. Also provides holdings information for the Hatfield Library and other depository libraries. 1976 - present
• GreenFILE (from Ebsco) - Covers all aspects of human impact on the environment. This is a collection of scholarly, government and general-interest titles focusing on a broad range of environmental & sustainable concerns including carbon footprints, global warming, green buildings, air pollution, water pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, energy consumption, and recycling materials.
• Historical Abstracts (from Ebsco) - This is very similar to the "America History & Life" database, but this provides international coverage around the globe while excluding the United States and Canada.  , from 1450 to the present. Indexes and abstracts over 2,300 journals, as well as books and dissertations.  Has a unique feature of being able to specify range of years when your topic took place in history.
• Opposing Viewpoints - An excellent starting point if you are preparing for a debate about a current social issue. Drawing on books published by Greenhaven Press and other Gale imprints, Opposing Viewpoints features viewpoint articles, topic overviews, full-text magazine, academic journal, and newspaper articles, primary source documents, statistics, images and podcasts, and links to Websites.
• Legal databases courtesy of WU's Law Library  - students and faculty from AGSM and CAS can access over 20 full text databases of Federal & State laws, court cases, appellate courts, as well as covering the executive & legislative bodies at the federal level and across all 50 states.  Many federal administrative & regulatory agencies are also covered by this specialized array of databases. 
• HeinOnline's U.S. Presidential Library - Includes such titles as Messages and Papers of the Presidents, Public Papers of the Presidents, CFR Title 3 (Presidents), Weekly Compilation of the Presidential Documents, and other documents relating to U.S. presidents. 1897 - present.

The full list of WU database is available by alphabetic list, subjects / academic units, or type of resource.  There are also guides available to walk you through how to find materials.