There are numerous sources available to Clark State students for finding newspaper articles. These include LexisNexis, Newspaper Source, or NewsBank, or SIRS. These can be accessed by selecting Explore OhioLINK Databases > By Name from the OhioLINK homepage.

For detailed help with searching LexisNexis, you can consult a step-by-step guide.

Getting Started Tips

• Keywords: It's usually easier if you start your search by typing in a few keywords. Think of the important words related to your subject and type those in the search box. Look through your results and at the subject headings for any of the articles that look relevant. You can always narrow your search by clicking on the subject headings within any of the articles.
• Updates: Newspaper databases are updated at least once per day, so the material is very current. The articles may be very short however, so these are often the types of articles that will supplement your research, rather than provide you with in-depth details about a subject.
• Publication Searches: Whenever you want a specific newspaper title, look in the database for a way to narrow by publication title. In LexisNexis, there is a sources list and also a box that asks for publication title. In Newspaper Source, you can search a publications' list, as well as type in the name of the newspaper in the magazine search box.
• Author Searches: If you know who wrote the newspaper article you’re looking, try an author search in any of newspaper sources. Type the author’s name, last name first. Click Search. This should bring up a list of articles by that person.
• Title Searches: If you know the title of the article, choose article title from the drop-down box or menu. Try a few keywords first. Spelling is everything, so if you misspell any words, you won't be able to find anything...be sure to double-check spelling if you aren't having any luck with your searches.

SIRS - Social Issues Researcher
SIRS is a database that also contains full text newspaper articles. It mainly covers social issues, and is highly selective rather than comprehensive. You can connect to SIRS from My Express Links on the OhioLINK home page. In SIRS, you can search by subject, keywords, or browse topics.

Newspaper Source
Access Newspaper Source by choosing Explore OhioLINK Databases > By Name on the OhioLINK home page. You can search by keywords, title of the article, or subject. It is helpful to check the publications' list first if you are looking for a particular newspaper to find out if it's included in Newspaper Source.

NewsBank
This database has a small set of newspapers available to you, including seventeen Ohio newspapers, such as The Lima News, The Akron Beacon Journal, The Cincinnati Enquirer, and 13+ out-of-state newspapers. The "Special Reports" feature is helpful if you are looking for current events topics.

A Word about The New York Times
The New York Times is the United States’ "newspaper of record." This means that it has a responsibility to cover the national and international news that affects the U.S.

Clark State has The New York Times on microfilm from 1978 to 1995 as well as access through LexisNexis. We also have the current three months in the library. Other larger university or public libraries may have it back to when it began publication in the middle of the last century.

Consult the Library's pathfinder to LexisNexis for detailed help with searching The New York Times.

Updated: 7 October, 2004