How to Search a Database

What Are Databases?

Databases are organized electronic records—entries on a particular item, such as a journal article—that you can search and display. Databases vary in the topics they cover and the information they provide. Some databases include publication information and brief descriptions of all articles published in a group of scholarly journals or in a field, such as microbiology or American history. Others provide access to the complete text of articles published in certain newspapers and magazines.

Databases can be stored on CD-ROM, on the Web, or on commercial Web sites that are accessible only if your library has a subscription. In some cases, you can access a database only from a computer workstation in your library. In other cases, you can access them from your campus network or on the Web. If you have any questions about how to access a database, ask a reference librarian for help.