SFX FAQ

What is SFX?

SFX provides links from a citation in a database to the full text of that article in another database (if available - not all articles are available electronically).

How do I use SFX?

Search the library databases as you normally would. Look for an SFX icon ( , , etc.) or SFX text link. Clicking either will open a window that will display a menu of full text options if the article is available somewhere in the library's electronic collection. Click on the SFX menu link and a window containing the full text article will open.

Because SFX will open new windows, applications that block pop-ups (such as Netscape 7, Free-Surfer, the Google Toolbar, etc.) must be disabled in order for SFX to work.

Which databases/services work with SFX?

American Chemical Society
American Medical Association
Ebsco MasterFile Select
First Search
HighWire
IngentaSelect
InfoTrac (including Health Reference Center)
Journals@Ovid (individual titles currently being added)
Nature
ProQuest
RefWorks
Science Direct
SwetsWise (use login via IP authentication)
Web of Science
Wiley InterScience

We will be adding others as they become available.

When I click on a link from the SFX menu I do not get a full-text article.

There are a few situations in which this can happen, such as:

A citation might not contain enough information for SFX to locate the article.
SFX will get you as close as possible to an article, sometimes taking you to the journal table of contents, publisher's web site or journal web site. In those situations you will need to complete the search from there.
Occasionally the article citation appears in a database before the publisher has made full text available.
Links can become out-of-date when publishers make changes to their web sites.
A database might not have the most up-to-date subscription information for our library.
SFX is new technology and a valuable service, but the bugs are still being worked out.

If I have a citation and do not know which database to begin with, what then?

SFX Offers a look-up tool called Citation Linker that can search for a known article.

Is there a list of the journals that are accessible via an SFX search?

A list can be found at http://sfx.sunyconnect.suny.edu:4360/upssfx-e-collection/e-journals-A.html .

Can I use SFX from off-campus?

Sign into LEAP the same as you would when accessing other library resources from off-campus.

Can I export records from SFX to RefWorks?

Yes, there is an option on the SFX menu that will send the citation to RefWorks.

If I have any questions about or problems with SFX, who can I contact?

Please send an email to ackermaw@upstate.edu. Questions will be answered and problems corrected as quickly as possible.