Understanding databases
A Library Database is a tool to help you find quality information in publications such as books, scholarly journals, newspapers, and magazines. Your professors expect you to use library databases to find authoritative resources.
General Databases
General Databases for Articles
These are some of the most popular general databases.
- Cover all subjects and fields
- Scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, trade journals, more
- More databases to choose from by Subject or by Name
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window EBSCO. All Subjects, dating back as far as 1887.
- Research Library This link opens in a new window ProQuest. Broad range of subject areas, from 1971 to present.
- JSTOR This link opens in a new window a searchable scholarly archive providing the full text of journal articles in business, economics, history, political science, literature, sociology, as well as other key fields in the humanities, social sciences, and physical sciences. Coverage of each journal begins with its first volume (going back to the 1880s, in some cases), and usually excludes the most recent 2-5 years.
- LexisNexis Academic UniverseProvides documents from worldwide news, business, legal, medical, and reference publications.
Databases by Subject
Subject Specific Databases
To find articles in a specific subject area, use the drop-down menu to select a subject or find by name A-Z. You might find databases on Religion, Environmental Science, or Medicine most appropriate for your topic.
Steps When Searching Databases
Steps for Searching Databases
- Enter your search term (see the Search Strategy Builder below) into a search box
- Set LIMITS and SEARCH:
- Date
- Peer-reviewed, when necessary
- Document type: scholarly, newspapers, magazines, etc.
- Language
- Geography
- Subject (see more...)
- Scan article titles
- REFINE if necessary by changing search terms with synonyms and repeat SEARCH
- Scan article titles
- Read ABSTRACTS
- Select, Email, Save, Print, Import