Well, almost never. Not sure? Ask.
If you find a reference to an article online, check to see if the Cheng Library has online access to the journal. If the full-text is not available, request an interlibrary loan. The article will be sent to your WP email account.
Sometimes a brief overview or even an encyclopedia article will provide useful background information. Here are some examples from a series tha focuses on a simple presentation of opposing viewpoints. Not all topics will be covered in this series which is aimed at high school and undergraduate audiences. A standard way of approaching a topic is to read some general introduction or overview first before doing any in-depth research. Search the library catalog.