People with access to University databases usually have "free" access to all journal articles, because their University pays for it.
But the average SLP? Not so much! Below, we'll explain how to find free versions of journal articles. First, note that the primary way to obtain a journal article is to go to the publisher’s website and simply pay for it. Publishers own the journal articles. So when you search an article's title, the journal's website is almost always the first thing to pop up. Just like anything else you’d need for therapy—books, toys, treatment materials—scholarly articles do have an associated cost. (Not a fan of that cost? You're not alone.) What do they usually cost? To purchase a single article is usually between $12 and $60. Some journals also allow you to rent the article for 48 hours for much cheaper (usually around $6). (Now, back up: Recall that if you need to FIND an article in the first place, free databases include PubMed, for medical research, and ERIC, for educational research. But once you have the title of the article you want, here's how to proceed...) Here are some ways people get journal articles for free:
So clearly there are many options. And, clearly, the method for accessing research articles for the general public is far from ideal. For now, we simply encourage you to be part of the conversation on what SLPs need in order to be able to provide evidence-based practice. ***One more thing— the articles TISLP shows you are always brand new, ahead of print. These new articles tend to be expensive when first published, then become free later on (e.g. the publication embargo ends, they become open access, or end up available on a website). So if you're wanting an article but can wait, you can always just add it to your "To Read" list and try to find it again later. In general, the longer you wait, the more likely you are to find an article for free online.
2 Comments
Sarah
2/2/2019 12:38:29 pm
I've also had luck finding free-for-me articles through my local (non-university) library. Sometimes they have paid subscriptions to certain journals, and I can access them using my library card through the library website online.
Reply
Meghan Duffy
4/23/2019 09:13:02 am
I am a member of the NY public library, and they have an inter-library loan (ILL) program that has allowed me to get articles for free. I put in a request and they will send me the pdf a week or so later. You can sign up to be a member of the library even if you are not a resident of NYC if you live in the state of NY. I am not sure if other public library systems have a similar program, but it is worth checking out!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |