Finding Sources

Getting started - books and journal articles

Login to OneSearch (Library Search) to:

• Discover print books, electronic books (eBooks), journal articles, dissertations and more. Our collection includes titles on study skills and research methods as well as subject disciplines.
• Reserve print books to guarantee access or link directly to eBooks and articles.
• Save, email or print result lists. 
• Create your own reading list as you go. 

Learn how with our OneSearch guide and introductory videos.

A note on login details

UWS Library pays to access many e-books, journals and databases.

Students and staff need to enter a login to access these items - this will be your university email address and password.

Note: some services offer multiple login methods. Look for the 'Login via your institution' option.

Remember that access to selected resources may only be possible from specific links on OneSearch or other library pages, e.g. the A-Z guide. 

Digging deeper - journal articles (bibliographic databases)

Prefer a more focused search for journal articles?

Try the Library's bibliographic databases.  Some index articles by type, e.g. primarily research studies, while others focus on publications in a specific subject area. 

The articles indexed in the databases are primarily academic and professional level in some subject areas, e.g. education and nursing.  Trade/ industry publications dominate though in others, e.g. Computing, Business.

Commonly used resources include:

Multidisciplinary

Region or topic-specific

Also see subject specific recommendations in our subject guides

Digging deeper - journal articles (Google Scholar)

Google Scholar is another recommended source for academic journal articles.

An option is included to link results with your library subscriptions for easier access.

1. Open the Settings section (action will depend your browser but may require selecting the 'three lines' icon):
2. Select 'Library Links'. A search box will appear with any pre-selections listed below.
3. Enter 'UWS' in the search box.
4. Select 'University of the West of Scotland - UWS' from the list.
5. Click 'Apply' to save.

When you next run a search, you will see "Available from UWS Library" on the right when UWS has access to the article. 

Click this (and login to One Search if prompted), to navigate to the full text. 

Many scholarly articles, although appearing in subscription journals, are made available on an open access basis.  This gives free access to these articles either immediately, or a set number of months, after publication.

You can search for such articles on the Open Access Button.

What if the item I need is not in stock and not openly available?

Library staff may be able to help.  Many journal articles and books can be sourced from other library collections in the UK. 

Don't forget:

Your usual search engine, e.g. Google, will be a good resource for finding:

• Introductory information on your topic.
• Prominent organisations in your field.
• Supporting documentation, e.g. governmental advice, reports, industry guidance or similar.

Wikipedia is a useful starting point for learning about new topics, and accessing selected in-depth sources.  Generally though, Wikipedia entries are not deemed appropriate for including in assignments as anyone can be a contributor whether a subject expert or not.  

Google Books is another potential source for textbooks.  Some items are available wholly, or partially, free of charge.