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Research Club: Finding Information

Research Databases 

 

Academic Databases and the A-Z Database List 

A database is a searchable repository of journal articles, newspapers, magazines, and other scholarly resources.  Google does not have access to much of the credible scholarly information available. Using the databases the PGCC Library subscribes to will give you access to millions of credible scholarly resources.

Databases can be multidisciplinary, such as Academic OneFile or subject specific, such as PsycARTICLES. A database will have both abstract-only summaries (no full-text articles) and full-text articles attached.

 

 

The A-Z Database List allows users to find and search individual databases that the library subscribes to.

Users can view all the databases alphabetically, search for a database by title, or use the three drop-downs on the A-Z Database List to search for databases by subject, type, or vendor.

Quick Steps to General Databases using PGCC's A-Z Database list: 

  1. Go to the library website 
  2. Under Resources (left side of the website), click on A-Z Database List 
  3. Browse the list alphabetically or use the Search filters 

Not sure where to start? Check our Recommend Databases 

Database searching: Finding articles 

 

Quick Steps to Finding Scholarly Articles:

  1. Use the A-Z Database List, choose any library database
  2. On the database homepage, enter your keywords in the search box
  3. Under the search box, check the Peer-reviewed box, and click Enter to start your search
  4. The search results will be scholarly articles

 

Advanced Search Tips 

Citation Searching

Citation searching is a technique used to gain scholarly insight and find resources relating to a particular topic. Using a particularly good resource you have found for a project,

Look backwards - at the reference list. An examination of the resources cited in an article or book can:

  • lead you to other resources that discuss this topic.
  • give you a snapshot of the thinking and research available at the time of publication.
  • reveal what ideas or theories have influenced a researcher.

Look forwards - find out if other researchers have cited this resource. This can give you insight into:

  • the impact of the resource on the scholarly landscape - how it has (or has not) shaped subsequent research and scholarship.
  • look for "Cited by" or "Times Cited" features in some databases - or get access to a citation tracker.

Database Tools

 

My Research is a tool that you can use to save, manage, and organize the content and supporting materials you find and create in ProQuest. You can include documents, searches, search alerts, RSS feeds, and more in My Research. Setting up a My Research account is simple and free to all ProQuest users.

For more information, see the ProQuest library guide. 

 

Librarian Tip:

Look at the entire database page - Databases have user tools that can help gather, sort results, and limit searches.