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The Jefferson Learning Commons houses hundreds of thousands of resources such as scholarly articles, books, newspaper articles, videos, and more. Most of these can be found within our databases. If you've never used a database before they can be a bit intimidating. Here are a few of the questions that we typically hear regarding databases:
| "What is a database?" | Databases are collections of information resources that a company gathers from all over the world and put together in one place. |
| "Alright, what do I do?" | Your job as a researcher is to narrow your searches to find the background information, articles, eBooks, or other materials that will help you in your specific research. |
| "How do I narrow my searches?" | The use of keywords that help define your research is the best way to target information that can move your research forward. |
| "What if I need more help?" | Try using Ask a Librarian, sign up for a one-on-one tutoring session with a librarian, or check out our Using Databases Guide. |
Outside of these questions, there is still a lot to learn about databases. We've included a list of our most popular databases in the box below. The subpages (Reference Databases, Newspaper Databases, Subject Specific Databases, and Streaming Video) will dive deeper into the types of databases that the Learning Commons has available for the Jefferson community.
Why use this database?
Academic OneFile is a general database with peer-reviewed, full-text articles on a variety of subjects.
What you need to know:
This database is useful for anyone looking for a good starting point for general research in almost any subject area.
Why use this database?
Academic Search Complete covers a broad variety of subjects. It provides access to journals, magazines, reports, books, and videos.
What you need to know:
This is a multidisciplinary database, so searches can be conducted on a wide range of topics.
Why use this database?
CQ Researcher examines contemporary issues by providing overviews, opposing viewpoints, statistics, Pro/Con arguments, and bibliographies on topics such as religion, war, human rights, law, and global warming.
What you need to know:
This database is useful for starting research on current events topics, especially for speeches and/or argumentative papers.
Why use this database?
A database that indexes journals (articles), books (available by chapters), primary sources, and images. In addition to the many journals that the Learning Commons subscribes to, you can also use JSTOR and Artstor's open access content. At the bottom of the page, you will find a link titled “What’s in JSTOR.” One of the first links within the body of that page it to "Open and free content" which includes resources from both JSTOR and Artstor.
What you need to know:
Use JSTOR to get great results for all areas of research for any class assignment. Artstor indexes images from numerous museums and libraries, including the Art Institute of Chicago. It is a great resource for art, art history, and CAT research. Check out JSTOR Daily to see how it matches scholarly information to current topics.
Why use this database?
Opposing Viewpoints can be used to search articles, videos, charts, images, and infographics. It includes topical overviews, news, and opinions on hundreds of important social issues.
What you need to know:
Use this database to discover and choose research paper topics, and find in-depth articles for research assignments for any class.
