1) Search for the resource the library website www.library.utoronto.ca

• Be aware that new LibrarySearch interface will arrive in 2021. Learn more from the LibrarySearch Tips Guide 

2) If using Google Scholar, set your web browser to recognize you as a UofT Student

• Go to Settings - Library links – Choose ‘University of Toronto Libraries’
• Full instructions to set up Google Scholar to prompt your UTORID 

3) Seek help if you still have access issues.

What makes an article scholarly?

• Academic Article - Are there in-text citations and references listed in bibliography? 
• Newspaper Article - Does the article include interviews with experts and clearly identify facts? 
• Do the authors have expertise?  (e.g., affiliation to an academic institution or recognized organization, academic credentials)
• Use RADAR criteria (Rationale, Authority, Date, Accuracy, Relevance) to assess if the research is reliable and scholarly. 

What is a peer-reviewed article?

Learn about the peer-reviewed editorial process and discover research tools that can filter or identify peer-reviewed journals. 

Choosing your Search Terms

Enter search terms on separate lines to instruct the database to search for the combined terms.  

Boolean Operators (AND, OR, NOT) are useful tools for building your search:

• Quotations marks (search for specific phrases or names)
  • "urban footprint", "climate change"
• Asterisk * (widen your search results) 
  • ecosystem* =  ecosystem, ecosystems
  • enviro* = environments, environmental, environmentalist's  
• AND (narrows your search)
  • conservation AND ecosystem*
• OR (widens your search)
  • "nature writing" OR "environmental writing"