Research Help

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.

To make your search as efficient as possible, we recommend searching in the CSM databases. These can all be accessed from the following links:

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.

Basic Search

Type a keyword into the database’s search bar. 

• For phrases (such as “social media”), add quotation marks around the phrase. This tells the database to treat it as one term (rather than searching each word individually). 

Advanced Search

Put each search term in its own search box; this makes it easier to change out search terms for synonyms, narrower or broader terms, etc. 

• 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 

Try multiple combinations of search terms to see what gives you the best results. 

• Tip: if a search term isn’t useful, cross it out so you don’t accidentally try it again!