About Databases
Most of your research will be done using databases. A database is a searchable online collection of information or sources.
Think of searching in a database like searching through an online library catalog.
- The contents of a database's "library" depends on the scope of the database, aka the extent of the database's range of contents.
- Some databases are for specific fields of study, such as Psychology or Business, and mostly contain scholarly articles.
- Some databases are catalogs of full-text literary books, and other databases keep track of business and stock datasets, etc.
This information was adapted from CT State Housatonic's Housatonic ENG 0960 - Introduction to College Writing Guide.
Image: "Database" by christophe.benoit74 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Which database should I use?
After you have identified a research topic or question, you can choose a database to explore based on the nature of your interest in that topic. In other words, what is your angle? Whose opinions or data do you want to consult? For example, if you're writing a Psychology research paper you're going to want information published by professional psychologists, so PsycInfo would be a perfect database for you!
The database you choose will be based on whether the scope (aka the range of relevant materials it claims to have) of the database includes your topic and the perspective you're looking at it from. While there's no single right answer for choosing a database, the library makes it easy to determine the scope of our databases by organizing them by subject in the A-Z Databases list. Many databases focus on specific academic subjects with content that fall into categories like English, History, Biology, etc.
Some databases are multidisciplinary, meaning that they contain resources from more than one subject. If you're not quite sure what subject your research topic falls under, read the descriptions of some of these databases and see if they seem related to your topic. They will often have something related to your search, but be aware that there may not be relevant enough sources in these databases if your research topic is very narrow. Check out all these resources via the A-Z list of Multidisciplinary Databases.
Remember that you're never married to one single database for a search! Feel free to experiment with Multidisciplinary Databases and Subject Databases, collecting sources from both when it is useful.
This information was adapted from CT State Housatonic's Housatonic ENG 0960 - Introduction to College Writing Guide.
Brainstorming Keywords
Keywords are the words or phrases you use when searching for information about your topic. Keywords are generally the most important words or phrases related to your topic.
Conducting background research on your topic can help you come up with and expand on the list of keywords you can use to find relevant information for your research.
Watch the video below and/or check out the following list of tips for more guidance on coming up with a list of possible keywords.
Tip #1
Use your research topic or question as a starting point. What are the main concepts of your research topic question? How can you summarize those main concepts in a few words or short phrases?
Tip #2
Conduct multiple searches, and try using more or fewer words. Also, try using a variation of more general keywords or more specific keywords.
Tip #3
Be flexible with your keywords, and keep in mind the possible variations such as alternative spellings, plurals, and related terms.
Tip #4
Ideas for more keywords can come from other sources you have already found. Think about the background research you have done. Think about the books and articles you may have come across. How did those sources describe the topic you are researching?
Tip #5
Be patient and persistent. Sometimes finding the right keywords and right resources are a matter of trial and error until you find the right combination of words. If you are really having a difficult time, or if you need help getting started in the right direction, you can always ask a librarian for help.
This information was adapted from the video Hekman Research 101: Brainstorming Your Keywords by the Hekman Library at Calvin University.
Video: Brainstorming Your Keywords
Multi-disciplinary Databases
The databases below are multi-disciplinary databases meaning they contain resources that cover a wide range of subjects. Search some or all of the databases linked below to help you get started finding sources to use in your research paper.
To find databases dedicated to specific subjects like business, science, history, etc, see the full list of databases on the library website.
- 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.
- Scopus This link opens in a new window
Scopus is a multidisciplinary abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature and web sources with tools to track, analyze, and visualize research in the scientific research area. Elsevier Scopus curators seek out and ensure that only the most trusted, peer-reviewed scientific articles, books and conference papers are available on Scopus.
- MainFile This link opens in a new window
MainFile multi-disciplinary database with coverage of all aspects of academic study and general interest subject areas. Includes more than 4,300 full-text magazines and journals and nearly 250 full-text newspapers and newswires, and over 2,900 full-text reference books and encyclopedias. A general interest database with full-text magazine articles, newspapers, and books. Covers a wide variety of subjects such as health, education, current events, technology and business.