Databases to Search
There are many different types of databases that you can consult in your research for this class. Generally, it's a good idea to search in databases based on the outcomes you're looking for - so if you're looking for a scholarly article in the sciences, try a science database. For an article in the humanities, use something like JSTOR or ProjectMuse, since they're both interdisciplinary.
Interdisciplinary
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowComprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 8,500 full-text periodicals, including more than 7,300 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 12,500 journals and a total of more than 13,200 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc. The database features PDF content going back as far as 1887. Searchable cited references are provided for more than 1,400 journals.
- JStor This link opens in a new windowA collection of full-text articles from over 3000 scholarly journals, many dating from the nineteenth-century to the last 4 or 5 years. A growing number of titles are available through the current issues, as part of their "Current Scholarship Program". Select Advanced Search to strategically search amongst 45 disciplines. Choose PDF from within JStor to properly view and print articles. For convenience, JStor is now searchable on Facebook.
- Project Muse This link opens in a new windowProvides access to scholarly journals and eBooks in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Dates of coverage varies per title.
Art & Art History
- Art & Architecture Source This link opens in a new windowCovers a broad range of related subjects, from fine, decorative and commercial art, to various areas of architecture and architectural design. Providing over 600 full-text journals, more than 220 full-text books, and a collection of over 63,0000 images, it is designed for use by a diverse audience, including art scholars, artists, designers, students and general researchers.
- Art Full Text (H.W. Wilson Co.) This link opens in a new windowArticles and other text materials from a variety of art publications.
Social Sciences
- Social Sciences Citation Index (Web of Science) This link opens in a new windowIndex to content from core journals in all areas of the social sciences. Provides lists of sources cited, plus publications citing the original article. Also known as SSCI. Covers 1900 to the present.
- Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson) This link opens in a new windowIndexes over 300 English-language periodicals covering anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, social work, sociology, and related fields. Covers 1983 to the present.
Newspapers
Take a look in the following databases if you're looking for newspaper articles. Pay attention to the database summaries listed below, as these will tell you more about what years the databases cover.
- African American Newspapers, 1827-1998 by Newsbank This link opens in a new windowOne-of-a-kind record of African American history, culture, and daily life. Covers life in the Antebellum South through the Civil Rights movement and more.
- America's Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new windowFully searchable, cover-to-cover reproductions of early American newspapers including titles from all 50 present states. Includes: Early American Newspapers, Series 1 (1690-1876), Early American Newspapers, Series 2 (1758-1900) and Early American Newspapers, Series 3 (1829-1922).
- NewsBank This link opens in a new windowFull-text access to major U.S. and international newspapers, including The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Daily News, The Chicago Sun-Times, and local Lancaster newspapers. Also includes newswires, transcripts, and U.S. small town newspapers. Coverage varies per title, with some dating back 50 years.
- ProQuest Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new windowHistorical access to the New York Times (1851-2015), Chicago Tribune (1849-1996), Los Angeles Times (1881-1995), Philadelphia Inquirer (1860-2001), and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (1786-2003). Also features recent issues of the New York Times (2008- two months ago) and Wall Street Journal (2008- two months ago).
Constructing Search Strings
Remember: Databases don't speak English.
Construct search strings to effectively find resources in databases.
Research Question: "What effect does media have on teens' body image?"
A good example of a search string:
"body image" AND media AND teens
A not great example of a search string:
media's effects on teen body image
Tips for Constructing Search Strings
- Use AND, OR, or NOT to expand, refine, or edit your search. AND will join two words or phrases together and search for both. NOT will search for one topic but not the other. And OR will search for either term you enter.
- Use quotes around phrases with two or more words.
- Boil your research question down into main ideas. For example, in the research question above, the main topics are: body image, teens, and media.
- Try using wildcards if you're looking for multiple spellings of a word. Like this: search wom*n, and you'll get results for woman, women, and womyn.