Master Pages and Boxes: Finding Articles & More

An organized collection of computer records having a standard format designed for efficient retrieval of information. 

Advantages of Online Databases:

• Can access remotely
• Can limit results to full text of articles
• More time efficient
• Information is updated frequently
• More flexible and precise searching
• Access to more resources than could be physically located in the library

Searching in the databases can be tricky, especially since they are all slightly different. Here are some basic tips to get you started:

• Use keywords instead of phrases. Try searching for "nurse AND education" instead of "how much school do I need to be a nurse?" 
• Not every article you find in the databases will be complete. Some will only be a citation or a summary. Limit your results to "Full Text" to only see articles you can read every word of online. 
• Some databases let you limit your results by date. When you need the most up-to-date information this limiter can be a real life saver!
• Look for an option to create a citation for the article right in the database. This can be a quick and easy way to create your Works Cited or References page. Always double check that the citation is correct, though.
• Remember that the databases aren't right for everything! If you're looking for general information there are other sources that may work better such as encyclopedias, handbooks, or trusted websites. 

Watch this short video to see how to search for articles within a specific publication and limit your results by full text and date. 

NOTE: This video has no audio. 

database:

A large, regularly updated file of digitized information (bibliographic records, abstracts, full-text documents, directory entries, images, statistics, etc.) related to a specific subject or field, consisting of records of uniform format organized for ease and speed of search and retrieval and managed with the aid of database management system (DBMS) software. Content is created by the database producer (for example, the American Psychological Association), which usually publishes a print version (Psychological Abstracts) and leases the content to one or more database vendors (EBSCO, OCLC, etc.) that provide electronic access to the data after it has been converted to machine-readable form (PsycINFO), usually on CD-ROM or online via the Internet, using proprietary search software.

Most databases used in libraries are catalogs, periodical indexes, abstracting services, and full-text reference resources leased annually under licensing agreements that limit access to registered borrowers and library staff. Abbreviated db. Compare with data bank. See also: archival database, bibliographic database, embedded database, metadatabase, and niche database.

Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science by Joan M. Reitz

The databases on this page contain primarily articles from periodicals (although some databases contain other information formats as well).  Types of peridicals include:

Journal Articles:  Contain research being done on a topic (probably the best source but sometimes too technical for beginning anthropology students)

Magazine & Newspaper Articles:  Often cover for the general public the research that was presented in the journals (info is not as high quality as journals, but can help beginning students understand the journal articles)

For material in books (physical and electronic), click on the Books tab above.

Joshua Vossler's video "Selecting and Using Keywords"

Keywords and Database Searching

• Use specific keywords, not questions.
• Revise your keywords to see how that changes your results.
• Look for more keywords in the articles you find.