Is it in an open access journal?
 PubMed
Most listings in the PubMed database now link to sources where the article may either be downloaded from an open access site or purchased on-line from the publisher. Pubmed searches can be restricted to free full text by choosing "Links to free full text" from the limits option. Please note this is likely to reduce the results of your search.
Free Medical Journals
This site has a listing of journals which make their articles free after a waiting period.
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
This organisation produces open access electronic journals, including seven peer reviewed medical and life science journals produced monthly.
Biomed Central
This open access publisher freely offers 221 peer-reviewed journals on topics such as health services research, medical informatics, family practice, public health and nursing.
Directory of Open Access Journals
This Directory covers free, full text, quality controlled scientific and scholarly journals. There are now over 7000 journals in the directory. Browse by the subject heading 'Health Sciences' for medical, nursing, dentistry and public health journals.
SHERPA
This website contains and promotes open access resources and repositories of published material (eg. includes guidance on depositing articles in open access resources).
OpenDOAR
Worldwide Directory of Open Access Repositories
FreeFullPDF.com
Is a google type search engine of scientific articles that finds you articles that are freely available in PDF form.
CONTACT THE AUTHOR
Most journals offer reprints of their published manuscript to authors of papers (eg. an e-print is an encrypted PDF of a paper that can be hosted on a web site for download by multiple users). Use the author's contact details provided on the paper to request a copy of their publication.
Are there preprint copies available?
Scirus
An academic search engine which searches for not only journal content but also researchers’ homepages, pre-print servers and institutional repositories.
Google Scholar
Google Scholar provides several access options for each article and sometimes these are pre-prints.
Australian Research online
A service of the National Library of Australia which lists Australian university and government publications.
Is it available through your State or Municipal Library?
State Libraries offer free on-line access to some full text databases such as Proquest and Informit. Many more can be accessed by using computers within the library building. To access visit your State Library website and register to receive a library card; you can then log on and use their resources.
Due to licensing restrictions, use must be for private research and study purposes only - no use is allowed for business, commercial or work-related purposes. If the article you require is not available, it can be ordered for you through the Library’s Document Supply Service. This is not a free service. State Libraries also operate on-line reference services where you can receive help in accessing articles.
You may also be able to obtain an inter library loan through your local municipal library. Check with your friendly Librarian.
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Can you find a print copy?
The Australian Libraries Gateway is a web based directory for finding Australian libraries. Check the catalogue of a university library nearby. You may find a library in your area with a print version that you can photocopy. University libraries are increasingly moving to digital collections, policies for unregistered users may be in place to access electronic journals and books within the library. Check with the library before you visit.
Use a document delivery service
There are commercial document delivery services which provide a speedy service and have reduced rates for non profit organisations. You will need to register to set up an account.
- Copies Direct - A service of the National Library of Australia
- Loansome Doc
A document delivery service run through PubMed and the US National Library of Medicine.
Requesters need to have registered both with National Library of Australia and the US National Library of Medicine. Once you have registered you can order articles from within a PubMed search.
- Infotrieve
- British Library Direct
Further reading
SPARC
This organisation is comprised of academic and research libraries focusing on scholarly publishing and expanding the dissemination of scholarly research.
Open Access Week
Open Access Week is a global event promoting Open Access as a new norm in scholarship and research. Log on to learn about the potential benefits of Open Access, to share what you’ve learned with colleagues, and to help inspire wider participation in helping to make Open Access a new norm in scholarship and research
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