Are You a College Student Needing Help with Research?

How to Determine the Best Research Databases

Databases for Journal Articles

Academic Search Complete is a multidisciplinary database that includes peer-reviewed journals. It is a good place to start your research.

JSTOR is a database that contains full-text articles from academic journals. It is a good source for older articles.

ScienceDirect is a database that contains full-text articles from scientific and technical journals. It is a good source for research in the sciences.

Databases for Books

Google Scholar is a search engine that searches for scholarly literature, including books, articles, and theses.

WorldCat is a database that contains information about books and other library materials. It is a good way to find books that are available at your local library.

HathiTrust is a digital library that contains millions of books and other materials. It is a good source for books that are out of print.

Databases for Other Types of Sources

LexisNexis is a database that contains legal and business information. It is a good source for research in law, business, and government.

ProQuest is a database that contains a variety of sources, including newspapers, magazines, and dissertations. It is a good source for research on current events and social issues.

ERIC is a database that contains education-related resources. It is a good source for research in education.

How to Choose the Best Database for Your Research

The best database for your research will depend on the topic of your research and the type of sources you need.

If you are unsure which database to use, ask your librarian for help.