Databases are good sources for peer-reviewed or scholarly articles, eBooks, media, and images. Popular databases are listed below, but you can click on the Database Tab above to find resources tailored to art, media and images, and journals.
To help you navigate the database and evaluate any search results, here are a few tips:
- Cast a wide net when entering search terms. In most cases, it is good to apply search terms to entire articles or book chapters, so you don't have to narrow terms to only "Title," "Author," or another field.
- Make sure you filter for scholarly or peer-reviewed articles. Use the facets/filters (usually on the left) to limit search results to scholarly or peer-reviewed articles.
- Take advantage of filters to narrow down the number of search results. While databases may differ in how filters are displayed, filters help identify more relevant results. Example: Use a publication year filter to only capture results from a certain timeframe.
- Review title, author, and year to identify results you can use. An initial screening of search results can be daunting, so simplify it by first focusing on title of the article or book chapter, author, and its publication date. If a result appears to meet your research needs, you can return to it for a second look.
- Save the search configuration. Most databases will provide a link to the search itself, and you can save it or forward it for future reference.
