FYS 1010

Why should you use library databases?

Besides “my instructor told me to”, there are many benefits to using library databases for your research.

• Free access to full text of sources (especially scholarly journals, which are expensive!)
• Database records make it easier to evaluate sources for credibility
• Easier to figure out what type (scholarly journal, popular magazine, etc.) of information source you’re looking at

Once you have determined your research questions and brainstormed keywords, it is time to start searching for sources.

The library provides access to lots of databases where you can find articles, journals, newspapers, magazines, eBooks, book chapters, and reference sources (such as encyclopedias, quick introductions to a topic, and dictionaries).

Databases are hosted by different vendors (such as ProQuest or EBSCO), similar to how specific TV shows or movies are hosted by different streaming services (such as Netflix or Hulu).

Databases may look different and include different subjects or types of source, but ALL databases will have a few common features:

1. Search Box(es) - enter keywords
2. Limit / Refine Search Results - by date, source type, subject, peer-review, etc.
3. Tools to Manage Your Research - link (URL), copy, save, email, print, cite, export, etc.

If you are off-campus, you will need to log in to myCSMD after clicking the database links.

ProQuest

EBSCO

Subject-Specific Databases in EBSCO

(Note: These are only a few of the subject-specific databases. Additional databases can be found in the A-Z list.)

Gale

Reference

Other Databases

Tutorials

Phrases as Keywords

Add "quotation marks" around phrases. This tells the database (or search engine such as Google) to treat the phrase as one term (rather than searching for each word individually).

Advanced Search

Using the "Advanced Search" option allows you to put each keyword in its own search box, which makes it easier to change out keywords for synonyms, narrower or broader terms, etc. It also gives options for limiting your search results by date, source type, and others.

AND, OR, NOT

Use database search tools AND, OR, and NOT (as drop downs in Advanced Search or between keywords in the search bar):

• AND = will only show results that include BOTH terms

• OR = will show results if they have at least one of the terms

• NOT = will exclude results that use that term

Subject Terms

Subject terms (also called "subjects" or "controlled vocabulary") are the database's "official" keywords assigned to topics. When searching with subjects, your results will most likely be more precise and relevant. You can find subject terms in a few places:

• Database record for an article - these are often hyperlinked
• Thesaurus / Subject Terms - databases have a searchable list of all subject terms (often available from the Advanced Search page or in the menu bar at the top)

Limits

Limits can be added using Advanced Search or from the search results page. Databases usually include options to limit by:

• Full Text (only shows sources you can access immediately)
• Peer Review
• Publication Date
• Source Type (such as Scholarly or Academic Journals, Newspapers, Magazines, Books, Dissertations, or Media)
• Subjects

Hitting a paywall? Don't buy articles!

If you find an article online but can’t access the full text, you can check to the E-Journal Finder to see if it is available through the library databases, search in Google Scholar, or request a copy of the article through Interlibrary Loan.

When searching for empirical research articles, use database tools and extra keywords to help narrow your search.

Database Tools

• Limit search to "Full Text" and "Peer Reviewed"

• Limit search by source type (“Academic Journals” or “Scholarly Journals”) 

Empirical Research Keywords

In addition to keywords for your topic, use words or phrases such as:

• “study” or “studies” 

  • “longitudinal study” 

• “research” 

• “observation” 

• “survey” 

• “experiment” 

• “findings” 

• “subjects” or “participants” 

  • “participant group” 

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For more help with database searching and keywords, check out the Research Help library guide.