How to use JSTOR to search for academic resources?
JSTOR is a digital library providing full-text access to academic journals, primary sources, and books, enabling comprehensive searching for scholarly resources across disciplines. Its core functionality facilitates efficient discovery of credible, peer-reviewed materials.
Effective JSTOR searches begin with defining clear research questions and identifying precise keywords, including synonyms and discipline-specific terminology. Utilize advanced search options to apply filters such as publication date, subject discipline, item type (article, book, review), and language for targeted results. Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) refine queries significantly. Browsing citations within relevant articles can uncover valuable related sources, while the "Cited by" feature identifies newer research referencing the initial work.
To implement, navigate to the JSTOR platform, typically accessed through institutional subscriptions. Enter keywords into the search bar, leveraging the "Advanced Search" to set granular filters like publication range (e.g., "2010-2024"). Examine results carefully; open promising entries to read abstracts and potentially download the full text based on access rights. Finally, utilize JSTOR's export tools to directly format citations into standard styles like APA or MLA for integration into bibliographies and research management software, streamlining the academic writing process and ensuring scholarly integrity.
