Tips on Searching a Database
What is a Peer-Reviewed Article?
Peer-reviewed articles have been evaluated by several researchers or subject specialist in the academic community prior to accepting it for publication. Also known as scholarly or refereed.
In most databases you may limit your search to peer-reviewed, scholarly, or refereed publications by selecting this filter.
There may be content in peer reviewed journals which is not peer reviewed. These may be book reviews, letters, or front and back matter. In most cases, though, the research articles within will be peer reviewed. Consult a librarian if you're not sure.
What is a peer reviewed article?
Recommended Library Databases
Health Issues
- Health Source: Nursing and Academic Edition This link opens in a new window This database provides nearly 550 scholarly full text journals focusing on many medical disciplines. It includes nursing and allied health topics, including pediatric nursing, critical care, mental health, nursing management, and medical law. It also features the AHFS (American Hospital Formulary Service® Drug Information) Consumer Medication Information, which covers 1,300 generic drug patient education sheets with more than 4,700 brand names.
- Health and Wellness This link opens in a new window This comprehensive consumer health resource provides authoritative information on the full range of health-related issues, from current disease and disorder information to in-depth coverage of alternative medical practices. Full-text medical journals, magazines, reference works, multimedia; perfect for researchers at all levels with more than 1,000 medical journals, periodicals, and articles from more than 2,200 general-interest publications, medical newspapers, newsletters and news feeds and hundreds of streaming videos.
- CINAHL with Full Text This link opens in a new window CINAHL is a database of citations and abstracts for journal articles and other materials on nursing, communication sciences and disorders, and allied health sciences. This authoritative resource for nursing and allied health professionals, students, educators and researchers provides indexing for 2,960 journals from the fields of nursing and allied health with more than 2,000,000 records dating back to 1981.
- MEDLINE with Full Text This link opens in a new window MEDLINE with Full Text provides the authoritative medical information on medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, and pre-clinical sciences found on MEDLINE. The database includes full text for over 1,470 journals and citations for over 4,800 biomedical journals with subjects like Biomedicine, Pre-Clinical Sciences, Behavioral Sciences, Bioengineering, Health Policy Development, Life Sciences, Communication Disorders, Population Biology, and Reproductive Biology.
- PsycArticles This link opens in a new window Delve into the science of psychology and behavior with APA PsycArticles, the database of full-text peer-reviewed articles published by the American Psychological Association and affiliated journals (Coverage: 1894 - present; updated monthly). Specialty subjects include Psychiatry, Psychology, Psychopharmacology.
- PsycInfo This link opens in a new window APA PsycInfo is a database that provides systematic coverage of the psychological literature from the 1800s to the present. The database also includes records from the 1600s and 1700s. This database is the world's largest resource devoted to peer-reviewed literature in behavioral science and mental health. Produced by the American Psychological Association, it is an indispensable tool for the discovery of global scholarly research.
- Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection This link opens in a new window Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection is a comprehensive database covering information concerning topics in emotional and behavioral characteristics, psychiatry & psychology, mental processes, anthropology, and observational & experimental methods. This is the world's largest full text psychology database offering full text coverage for nearly 400 journals.
Current Events/Controversial Topics
- Issues & Controversies This link opens in a new window Featuring a dynamic design and a wealth of features, Issues & Controversies helps researchers understand today's crucial issues by exploring hundreds of hot topics in politics, government, business, society, education, and popular culture. Issues and Controversies provides up-to-date, in-depth and objective information on prominent and hotly debated issues. It combines objective analysis with clear explanations of opposing points of view. Chronologies, illustrations, maps, tables, sidebars, bibliographies and contact information augment the balanced, accurate coverage of current and historical events.
- In Context: Opposing Viewpoints This link opens in a new window Opposing Viewpoints offers material to support differing views to help develop critical thinking skills on thousands of current social topics in the forms of primary source documents, statistics, websites and multimedia. Find overviews, news, and opinions on hundreds of today's important social issues, including racism, capital punishment, global warming, and voting rights with reference sources, newspaper and magazine articles, scholarly journals, court cases, government documents, viewpoints, maps, images, audio, video and websites.
- CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window CQ Researcher offers in-depth, unbiased coverage of political and social issues, with regular reports on a wide range of topics including: health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, the U.S. economy, crime, and civil liberties. This acclaimed and award-winning weekly publication provides a balanced view of today's most pressing social, political, and economic issues. Each weekly report covers the given topic in a non-sensationalized manner, and many reports feature a pro/con debate, highlighting both sides of the argument. Access over 700 hot topics with pros and cons for your research papers and projects.
General Topics
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window Academic Search Complete is the world's most valuable and comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 8,500 full-text periodicals, including more than 7,300 peer-reviewed journals. Indexing and abstracts for more than 12,500 journals and more than 13,200 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings. The database features PDF content going back as far as 1887, with the majority of full text titles in native (searchable) PDF format. Searchable cited references are provided for more than 1,400 journals.
- MasterFILE Premier This link opens in a new window MasterFILE Premier provides full text for magazines, reference books, and primary source documents and an Image Collection with photos, maps & flags. MasterFILE Premier provides full text for over 1,800 general interest, business, consumer health, general science, and multicultural periodicals. In addition, this database offers indexing and abstracts for over 2,500 periodicals.
English/Literature
- MLA Handbook Plus This link opens in a new window Access the new ninth edition of the MLA Handbook online through the library. Browse or search the book online, get citation examples, view sample papers. This resource also includes the MLA Style 101 tutorial, MLA Guide to Digital Literacy and MLA Guide to Undergraduate Research in Literature.
- Bloom's Literature This link opens in a new window Bloom's Literature contains a wide range of reference essays and scholarly criticism examining great authors and their works throughout history, as well as full-length videos of classic plays and films. Bloom's Literature includes a Literary Classics eBook shelf containing the full contents of more than 1,000 classic works of literature, and also includes a Shakespeare Center which houses in one convenient location a treasure trove of content on all things Shakespeare.
- Literature Resource Center This link opens in a new window Find up-to-date biographies, overviews, full-text criticisms, audio interviews, and reviews on writers from all eras. Includes Dictionary of Literary Biography, Something About the Author.
- MagillOnLiterature Plus This link opens in a new window Contains biographical essays that reflect extended coverage of the 2,500 most studied authors and include up-to-date lists of each author’s principal works and current secondary bibliographies. More than 8,500 writers of fiction, poetry, drama, and essays are featured. There are more than 400 comprehensive essays on specific literary genres, themes and settings round out the collection. A cross-referenced glossary of terms is also included to provide definitive explanations of more than 1,800 literary words and phrases.
- Literature Criticism This link opens in a new window Explore the most extensive compilation of literary commentary available. Includes analysis from book excerpts, periodicals, and more. Includes Contemporary Literary Criticism, Children's Literature Review, Classical and Medieval Literature Criticism, Drama Criticism, Literature Criticism (1400-1800), 19th Century Literature Criticism, Poetry Criticism, Shakespearean Criticism, Short Story Criticism, 20th Century Literary Criticism.
- In Context: Biography This link opens in a new window Built on a foundation of more than 640,000 biographical entries, Gale In Context: Biography covers international figures from all time periods and areas of study. The database also includes full-text articles from nearly 250 periodicals. Search for people based on one or more personal facts such as birth and death years and places, nationality, ethnicity, occupation or gender, or combine criteria to create highly-targeted custom search results.
History Databases
- History Reference Center This link opens in a new window Full text for more than 1,990 reference books, encyclopedias and non-fiction books from leading history publishers. Covering both U.S. and world history topics, History Reference Center is a full-text database featuring historical reference books, magazines, journals and thousands of primary source documents.
- In Context: US History This link opens in a new window Gale in Context: U.S. History is an online experience for those seeking contextual information on hundreds of the most significant people, events and topics in U.S. History. Topics range from the arrival of Vikings in North America all to the way to the first stirrings of the American Revolution and on through the Civil Rights movement, 9/11, and the War on Terror. Content includes reference works, millions of news and periodical articles, and more than 5,000 rare and vital primary source documents that range from slave journals to presidential papers.
- In Context: World History This link opens in a new window A range of topics such as Aztecs, Industrial Revolution, Silk Road, the Buddha, Space Race, and more provide a wide perspective across the globe. Rare primary sources, reliable reference, and multimedia content are aligned to curriculum and put this vast subject into context for students. World History is cross-searchable with Gale In Context: U.S. History for users with access to both resources.
Science/Environment
- GreenFILE This link opens in a new window GreenFile offers well-researched information covering all aspects of human impact to the environment. Its collection of scholarly, government and general-interest titles includes content on global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more. The database provides indexing and abstracts for more than 384,000 records, as well as Open Access full text for more than 4,700 records.
- Science Reference Center This link opens in a new window Topics covered include biology, chemistry, earth & space science, environmental science, health & medicine, history of science, life science, physics, science & society, science as inquiry, scientists, technology and wildlife. Science Reference Center provides full text for hundreds of science magazines, journals, reference books and high-quality videos. The database also contains science experiments, curriculum-aligned lesson plans, and a vast image collection.
Newspapers
- Newspaper Source Plus This link opens in a new window Provides cover-to-cover full text for 45 U.S. & international newspapers. The database also contains selective full text for 389 regional (U.S.) newspapers, including the New Haven Register and New London Day. It includes newswires, news magazines, television and radio transcripts, news video clips, and more. It is updated daily with the most recent news. Wire sources include the Associated Press (AP), CNN Wire, PR Wire, UPI (United Press International), and Xinhua (China). Television and radio news transcript sources include ABC News (United States), ABC (Australia), CBC (Canada), CBS News, CNBC, CNN, CNN International, FOX News, MSNBC, NPR, and PBS.
- Hartford Courant (1992-current) This link opens in a new window Daily newspaper from Hartford, Connecticut. Coverage: 1992 - current. The Hartford Courant is the largest daily newspaper in Connecticut. Founded in 1764, it also is the oldest continuously published newspaper in the United States.
- Historical Hartford Courant (1764-1999*) This link opens in a new window *ProQuest has extended the coverage of the Historical Hartford Courant from 1764-1999 for a trial period that ends 12/21/2024. After this date, the coverage will revert to 1764-1922. This historical newspaper provides genealogists, researchers and scholars with online, easily-searchable first-hand accounts and unparalleled coverage of the politics, society and events of the time. Coverage: 1764 - 1922. This resource includes The Connecticut Courant (1764-1774), Connecticut Courant (1778-1778), Connecticut Courant (1791-1837), The Connecticut Courant and Hartford Weekly Intelligencer (1774-1778), Connecticut Courant and Weekly Intelligencer (1778-1791), Daily Courant (1837-1839), The Hartford Courant (1887-1922), Hartford Daily Courant (1840-1887).
- New York Times (1985-present) This link opens in a new window This ProQuest version of full-text articles from The New York Times newspaper (Coverage Dates: 1985 to Present) includes local, regional, national, and international news coverage, including archived articles. Alternately, if you are looking for access to The New York Times Online Edition, please create a free library account at https://library.ctstate.edu/nytimes
- New York Times Online Edition This link opens in a new window Requires creation of free account using campus email address. Use your free account to access popular features, such as Today's Paper, Currently Trending, Wirecutter, The Athletic, Games including The Crossword, Cooking, Recipes, The Learning Network, Opinion, Politics, The Daily (podcast), New York Times Video and TimesMachine, which provides page scans of every issue of The New York Times published between 1851 and 2002 in browsing and searching formats.
Specialty Databases:
- Artstor This link opens in a new window Artstor features millions of high-quality images and media from some of the world's top photo archives, museums, libraries, scholars, and artists, including rare materials not available anywhere else. Artstore has Open Access collections from partner museums freely available to all, in areas of art, architecture, the humanities, and social sciences with a set of tools to view, present, and manage images for research and educational purposes. All content in Artstor is rights-cleared for education and research.
- Chronicle of Higher Education This link opens in a new window The Chronicle of Higher Education has the nation’s largest newsroom dedicated to covering colleges and universities. As the unrivaled leader in higher education journalism, they provide indispensable real-time news and deep insights, plus the essential tools, career opportunities, and knowledge to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
- Credo Reference This link opens in a new window Credo Reference is a general knowledge database providing articles, images, charts, maps and other materials on thousands of topics. With 750+ searchable, full-text titles, Credo Reference places particular emphasis on subject encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, and reference handbooks. Also included are more than 1,100 short reference videos, more than 475,000 high-resolution art images, photographs, and maps across all subject areas.
- Encyclopedia Britannica Academic - Norwalk Campus This link opens in a new window Britannica is a well-respected brand and has a long tradition of providing accurate and educational information on just about any subject you can think of. We pride ourselves in encouraging all our customers, young and old, to discover more about the world we live in.
- Films On Demand This link opens in a new window A streaming video service that provides access to over 38,000 instructional and documentary videos from producers such as Films for the Humanities & Sciences, HBO, CNBC News, ABC News, PBS, BBC, Cengage Learning, Meridian, and others.
- Grove Music Online This link opens in a new window Grove Music Online is the world’s premier online music encyclopedia, offering comprehensive coverage of music, musicians, music-making, and music scholarship. The online edition includes updated versions of previous Grove publications as well as hundreds of articles commissioned specifically for the online edition, including The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, The Norton Grove Dictionary of Women Composers, The Grove Dictionary of American Music, The Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments.
- Naxos Music Library - Manchester Campus This link opens in a new window Offers streaming access to more than 52,677 CDs with more than 756,740 tracks, standard and rare repertoire. Over 800 new CDs are added to the library every month. Access is limited to three (3) users at a time.
- Oxford English Dictionary This link opens in a new window The Oxford English Dictionary is the world's leading authority on the history and development of the English language since 1150. As a historical dictionary, the OED is very different from dictionaries of current English, in which the focus is on present-day meanings. You’ll still find present-day meanings in the OED, but you’ll also find the history of individual words, sometimes from as far back as the 11th century, and of the language—traced through 3.5 million quotations, from classic literature and specialist periodicals to film scripts, song lyrics, and social media posts.
- SAGE Data This link opens in a new window A universe of data at your fingertips. Sage Data provides access to billions of statistical datasets across 16 topical areas, including Business, Education, Health, Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement, Government and Politics, and more. Results can be compared and viewed in customizable tables, maps, rankings, and charts. Views also include descriptive summaries of the datasets and data sources. Sources include public, private/commercial, and nongovernmental organizations, as well as Woods & Poole Economics, Inc.
- Statista This link opens in a new window Use Statista for immediate access to over one million statistics and facts. Statista is an online platform specialized in market and consumer data, which offers statistics and reports, market insights, consumer insights and company insights in German, English, Spanish and French. Additional modules include Company Insights, Ecommerce Insights, Consumer Insights. The reports, charts, infographics, and statistics found in the database can be viewed online or downloaded.
- Job Now Job Now! provides expert resume help, real-time interview coaching and career advice. You can work one-on-one online with a tutor or job coach through JobNow and the Adult Learning Center. The Adult Learning Center features test preparation (including GED and U.S. citizenship preparation), writing assistance, and study tools for math, reading and writing. Live help is also available for Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.