Databases
Feel free to use the following library databases to find out more about your topic. If you would prefer to use a different database, try using our Research Guides by subject list.
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowA full text database containing nearly 5,100 journals, this scholarly collection offers information in nearly every area of academic study. Provided by SUNYConnect.
- Academic OneFile This link opens in a new window
This link opens in a new window
Home to nearly 13,000 indexed journals, a comprehensive, up-to-date and easy-to-use database for serious academic research. Provided by NOVEL NY. - JSTOR This link opens in a new windowFull-text archive of scholarly publications in the humanities mathematics, science, and the social sciences. Dates vary but are all at least 3 years old.
- PsycINFO This link opens in a new windowThe most comprehensive database for psychology and related disciplines. Includes content from PyscARTICLES and PsycCRITIQUES. Contains nearly 2.3 million citations and summaries of scholarly journal articles, book chapters, books, and dissertations. Journal coverage includes international material selected from more than 2,200 periodicals in more than 25 languages. 1887- current.
- Ethnic NewsWatch This link opens in a new windowAn interdisciplinary, bilingual (English and Spanish) and comprehensive full text database of the newspapers, magazines and journals of the ethnic, minority and native press. ENW titles offer additional viewpoints from those proffered by the mainstream press. 1990- current.
- GenderWatch This link opens in a new windowFull-text database of unique and diverse publications that focus on how gender impacts a broad spectrum of subject areas. Coverage is from 1970-present.
These databases are good STARTING points. If you need help choosing a topic or just want to see some possible ideas, you can try these.
- CQ Researcher
Has reports that focus on a single topic and features concise background discussion and chronologies, overviews of the current situation, pro and con commentary, as well as links to related organizations and a bibliography of related books and articles.
- Opposing Viewpoints
Covers many topics and contains reference materials, commentaries and viewpoints, periodical and news articles, primary sources, statistics, and multimedia.
- Encyclopedia Britannica
Excellent general encyclopedia
Database Searching
Did you get too many results? If so, try some of these ideas to narrow down your results:
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Narrow by dates (only newer, older, or a specific range of dates)
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Narrow by type of source (peer-reviewed journals, magazines, etc. based on the assignment’s guidelines)
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Add another of the search terms you listed above, connecting the two with the “AND” provided in the database’s Advanced Search
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Using the database’s Advanced Search option, change “AND” to “NOT” to exclude terms you don’t want (ex. “Pride and Prejudice” NOT film)
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Put any multi-word phrases into “quotation marks” to prevent other words from coming between them
Did you get too few results? If so, try some of these ideas to expand your results:
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Using the database’s Advanced Search, enter 2 search terms that are synonyms, connecting them with the word “or” (ex. film OR movie)
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Enter your main topic in a Subject Search. Look at the subdivisions or subjects given to you to get new ideas for better search terms (find out what the database is calling it)
- Basic Search Tips Help SheetThis is an optional worksheet that will remind you of the searching tips the library research session taught you.
URL: https://library.brockport.edu/mcnairprogram