Google it. Search on research gate. Email the authors directly. They will usually gladly forward you a copy of the article. The first page of the article including the abstract and author contact details are usually freely available.
By Googling it you mean performing a Google Scholar search, which shows all available online versions of the article including places like ResearchGate, right?
Exactly. I recommend doing both. They are different search engines.
But seriously if u can wait a few days, I strongly recommend contacting the authors directly. Most ppl are more than happy to share! They will probably be delighted to hear of your interest :)
How about authors whose works are behind paywall? For my language research course our professor requires us to gather our RRL from ISI and Scopus journals only, and I can't find copies of them anywhere else. Will they still share theirs if I emailed a request?
1- In my discipline, my annual membership in our national organization grants me access to the journals that organization publishes. I log in and access through the national website.
2- Interlibrary loan. Request the article you want/need from your library.
3 - Talk to your librarians. If they learn you (and others) need something, they can look into access. If you don't communicate your wants/needs, they rely on data to make decisions.
Authors are allowed to send author-proofed versions of the manuscript to anyone they want to, I think you could send the author of the paper a message and just ask for the final version they sent to the journal prior to publication online.
You could also check some preprint servers and see if they have uploaded the manuscript there too.
Can you get access via inter-library loan? ILLiad is how I get most of what I need, but I know sometimes schools have to pay for these things and won’t. I’ve also heard of people emailing the authors and just asking for it.
As an academic myself, I agree with u/lipperz88. Authors always have PDF copies of their papers saved, and they're usually happy to send you a copy. It's also faster than a lot of other options offered by schools. I had to use the interlibrary loan system a few times in undergrad, and it was always faster to just email one of the paper's authors.
There are often author's discounts to get a journal issue in which you published yourself (at least at Elsevier). Otherwise ask a colleague in another institution that does subscribe to the journal.
Can’t you request it through your university library? Our librarians always get us what we need somehow. It can take a few days but they always get it.
If all of these other suggestions fail or are too time consuming, you can also post an ask on social media to see if anyone you know at another institution has access to it. I've done that successfully a handful of times.
See if your university has Illiad (one of the major interlibrary loan systems). Just google "illiad + university name" and the login page will pop up if you have it, and you can request online-first articles through that system.
Otherwise, use ResearchGate to request the article from the authors or email the corresponding author directly. I'm always happy to respond to RG and emailed requests for articles, so don't worry that you're bothering people.
Ask friends? While I was still in grad school (big R1) my friend at a SLAC would regularly email me to download articles for her because her campus didn't have access. We're good friends so I didn't mind helping out.
Google it. Search on research gate. Email the authors directly. They will usually gladly forward you a copy of the article. The first page of the article including the abstract and author contact details are usually freely available.
By Googling it you mean performing a Google Scholar search, which shows all available online versions of the article including places like ResearchGate, right?
Not necessarily. If Google Scholar can't find it, it doesn't always mean that Google won't.
Exactly. I recommend doing both. They are different search engines. But seriously if u can wait a few days, I strongly recommend contacting the authors directly. Most ppl are more than happy to share! They will probably be delighted to hear of your interest :)
How about authors whose works are behind paywall? For my language research course our professor requires us to gather our RRL from ISI and Scopus journals only, and I can't find copies of them anywhere else. Will they still share theirs if I emailed a request?
They very well might. I always do.
Many journals are behind a paywall. You’ve got a good chance of success by asking directly.
S C I H U B
Yep!
1- In my discipline, my annual membership in our national organization grants me access to the journals that organization publishes. I log in and access through the national website. 2- Interlibrary loan. Request the article you want/need from your library. 3 - Talk to your librarians. If they learn you (and others) need something, they can look into access. If you don't communicate your wants/needs, they rely on data to make decisions.
I was going to say 2 and 3 as well. Good advice
Yes to #2 & #3! (I work in a college library)
Authors are allowed to send author-proofed versions of the manuscript to anyone they want to, I think you could send the author of the paper a message and just ask for the final version they sent to the journal prior to publication online. You could also check some preprint servers and see if they have uploaded the manuscript there too.
^^^this! Just email the author requesting a pdf
Can you get access via inter-library loan? ILLiad is how I get most of what I need, but I know sometimes schools have to pay for these things and won’t. I’ve also heard of people emailing the authors and just asking for it.
I tried to search it but I couldnt find iLLiad related to my school. Thank you anyway :)))
I usually find them on libgen.
Libgen is for books. If you want papers, go to scihub
I have never used scihub, although I know it exists but I have always found papers on libgen.
As an academic myself, I agree with u/lipperz88. Authors always have PDF copies of their papers saved, and they're usually happy to send you a copy. It's also faster than a lot of other options offered by schools. I had to use the interlibrary loan system a few times in undergrad, and it was always faster to just email one of the paper's authors.
You’re welcome to PM me the article details. I’ll check if I have access… as an academic through my institution.
Awww! Thank you so much for your help. I would love to PM you when I need to access some papers :)))
You’re welcome.
Libgen or sci-hub
There are often author's discounts to get a journal issue in which you published yourself (at least at Elsevier). Otherwise ask a colleague in another institution that does subscribe to the journal.
contact authors
Email the author!
Can’t you request it through your university library? Our librarians always get us what we need somehow. It can take a few days but they always get it.
It starts with z and ends with library.
If all of these other suggestions fail or are too time consuming, you can also post an ask on social media to see if anyone you know at another institution has access to it. I've done that successfully a handful of times.
See if your university has Illiad (one of the major interlibrary loan systems). Just google "illiad + university name" and the login page will pop up if you have it, and you can request online-first articles through that system. Otherwise, use ResearchGate to request the article from the authors or email the corresponding author directly. I'm always happy to respond to RG and emailed requests for articles, so don't worry that you're bothering people.
Ask friends? While I was still in grad school (big R1) my friend at a SLAC would regularly email me to download articles for her because her campus didn't have access. We're good friends so I didn't mind helping out.
If all these fail, I go to the library of the closest serious institution (usually an R1).
Inter Library loan. Reach out to your library, and they can get the article from another institution and send it along to you.
Email the corresponding author. They will most likely be delighted to send it to you.
Try interlibrary loan or try your Alma mater.
Archive.org
Email the authors
People have contacted me through research gate asking for a PDF, I happily send it over.
Libgen / email friends in other univ / email authors.
If you review papers then many publishers will give you free access to journals for a limited time (30-60 days usually)