An index is a tool used to find articles in journals or newspapers. It's usually an online database that we search using keywords. An index tells us what's been published where. When we search an index, we get citations. These citations describe an article and tell us where it was published. links us from the citation to the actual article, assuming our library has purchased access.

Note that indexes tell us what's been published, and not what's available in a particular library. Our library subscribes to these indexes, which are produced by publishing companies.

Find more information about finding articles using indexes in our online tutorial on Finding Articles.