Finding Articles--Part 3 Finding and Selecting a Research Database Authored by Marianne Nolan and Ken Burhanna The text only versions provide a linear presentation of the Hands-On flash modules.  The Hands-On modules often incorporate images and interactive presentations to help demonstrate and support the text.  These images and interactive features are lost in the text only format.  Users can supplement their reading of the text versions by going onto the World Wide Web and visiting the web sites and doing the searches that the text indicates.  This is most easily done by printing the text version and using it as a guide. After completing this module you will be able to: 1. Locate Research Databases at the University Library 2. Select a Research Database Introduction The vast number of research databases (the University Library provides access to over 100) and their often misleading or nondescriptive titles (consider titles like CHID Online, INSPEC, or MAS Ultra) can make finding and selecting a research database one of the hardest challenges for the beginning researcher. 1. Locating Research Databases on the University Library Home Page You can get to the indexes from two access points on the University Library's home page: 1.  Research Databases link 2.  Subject Portals link Using the Research Database link, find a list of research databases for the field of education. Remember, you're looking for a list of research databases by subject. Click on the subject you're looking for. Remember those two links and use them when you need to find research databases no matter what the subject field. 2. Selecting a Research Database Probably the most important aspect of a research database to consider when deciding which one to use is subject coverage, and as you just witnessed, the University Library organizes research databases by subject to make the process easier for users. In addition to a subject list of research databases, the University Library also provides other lists to aid you in selecting a database. The Alphabetical Title List of Research Databases provides descriptive annotations about available research databases. The Full-Text Databases list databases with at least partial full text from the journals they cover. Even with the help the University Library's web site can offer, selecting a research database can be a challenge. You may need to learn about and evaluate databases on your own. We already mentioned that it's helpful to consider the subject area of your information needs and which databases best meet those needs.  Let's look at some other important aspects to consider. Other aspects, in addition to subject coverage, to consider when selecting a research database are: Journals Covered:  No research database can cover every journal in a subject field, let alone most of the journals and magazines in the world.  To do comprehensive searches, you will have to search a combination of databases. Also, some databases cover only newspapers, while others cover scholarly journals.  Be sensitive to the types of periodicals included. Time Period: Most electronic databases only provide coverage of the last twenty to thirty years and often times much less.  Turn to print indexes to find older coverage. Types of Records: Some databases provide only citations, but others include abstracts and full text.  Be aware of what type of information a database provides. Now that I know what to look for, how do I learn about different research databases? Learning about a new database can be like learning a new computer program.  You can study the help and information that the program comes with, but you'll also need to explore and practice using the program. Throughout the remainder of this and the next lesson, we'll be working with a database called Academic Search Premier.  You will probably find yourself using this database later in your college career, but it is just one of the over 100 available to you at the University Library.  So always explore new databases and don't rely on one simply because you're comfortable with it. Go to Academic Search Premier. Most research databases provide a general statement that describes its contents.  Sometimes it's called "About This Database" or it can be found under a question mark or heading for help.  Explore this screen until you find a link to this information about Academic Search Premier. In this case it's under a question mark for help next to the name of the database. Next, click the "About the Database" link. Now take a few moments to read this description of Academic Search Premier.   Academic Search Premier Academic Search Premier, designed specifically for academic institutions, is the world's largest scholarly, multi-disciplinary full text database containing full text for nearly 4,650 serials, including more than 3,600 peer-reviewed publications. In addition to the full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 8,200 journals in the collection. This scholarly collection offers information in nearly every area of academic study including: computer sciences, engineering, physics, chemistry, language and linguistics, arts & literature, medical sciences, ethnic studies, and many more. Academic Search Premier is an enormous collection of the most valuable peer-reviewed full text journals, offering critical information from many sources unique to this database. Examples of titles offered in Academic Search Premier include: American Historical Review, American Journal of Political Science, American Libraries, American Sociologist, British Journal of Psychology, British Journal of Sociology, Central European History, Contemporary Literature, Early American Literature, English Language Notes, Family Relations, International Journal of Psychology, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Journal of Aesthetics & Art Criticism, Journal of Counseling & Development, Journal of Education, Political Science Quarterly, Journal of General Psychology, Journal of Genetic Psychology, Journal of International Affairs, Journal of Learning Disabilities, Journal of Marriage & Family, Journal of Politics, Journal of Psychology, Journal of Social Psychology, Library Journal, Social Forces, Sociological Review, Theological Studies, Women's Studies, etc. PDF backfiles to 1975 or further are available for well over one hundred journals, and searchable cited references are provided for more than 1,000 titles. The majority of full text titles are available in native (searchable) PDF, or scanned-in-color. Exercise -- Learning About Indexes E1. Based on the statement you just read, what is the subject focus of Academic Search Premier?   A. Mathematics B. Multi-disciplinary (many fields) C. History D. Current Events E2. Based on the statement you just read, does Academic Search Premier cover scholarly journals and peer-reviewed journals? A. Yes B. No C. Scholarly but not peer-reviewed E3. Based on the statement you just read, would Academic Search Premier be likely to provide coverage for any journals from as far back as 1970? A. Yes, for a few journals B. No, that's crazy Answers located at end of the lesson. This concludes Finding and Selecting an Index Answers to exercise: E1=B. Multi-disciplinary, E2=Yes, E3=Yes, for a few journals.