UNI 110: Critical Thinking and Inquiry
- Home
- Find Background Information
- Use Search Strategies
- Find Articles and Information in Library Research Databases
- Evaluate What You Find
- Cite Your Sources
- Research and Database Tutorials
All Library Research Databases
For some topics, a subject-specific database may be more useful, especially if your topic is very focused on one field of study or is very technical or specific:
There are hundreds of additional library research databases:
- Use the alphabetical list or search bar if you know the name of the database.
- Use the "All subjects" and/or "All database types" dropdown menus if you want to limit the databases displayed.
- Use the search bar if you do not know the name of the database but know the subject or a familiar keyword.
Finding Articles and Information in Library Research Databases
1. Use ASU Library Databases for Research
While you are a student at ASU, you have access to ASU Library’s vast collection of academic databases and resources. For most of your assignments, this is where you will want to look (or where you will be required to look!) for articles and information. Academic databases often provide access to resources that are not freely available on the internet. They also offer specialized filters and search tools to help you find high-quality information.
2. Choose the Right Databases for Your Topic
Different databases offer access to different types of resources, such as scholarly articles, newspaper articles, reports, datasets, and more. They also specialize in different subjects or topic areas.
The database you choose will depend on the information you need and your research topic. You will often use more than one database during your research process.
- General databases cover a wide range of topics across many fields and include many types of sources. They are a good place to start when beginning your research and exploring different perspectives.
- Examples: Academic Search Ultimate, Google Scholar, OneSearch
- Specialized databases (or disciplinary databases) focus on a specific subject area (such as psychology, music, business, or engineering) or a specific type of information (such as news articles, statistics, or primary sources). They are useful whenever you need deeper, more targeted information related to a specific subject or type of material.
- Examples: PsycINFO (psychology), ABI/Inform (business), PubMed (biomedical and life sciences), Mergent (company financials, industry reports), AccessWorld News (new media and newspapers), Films on Demand (streaming video)
As your research progresses and your topic narrows, you will often move from general databases to more specialized databases.
3. Why This Matters
Choosing the right database helps you match your search to the kind of sources and subjects you need. This makes it easier to find relevant and reliable information for your research.
ASU Library One Search
You can use Library One Search to find most of ASU Library's books, ebooks, open-access resources, newspaper articles, magazine articles, scholarly journal articles, and more – with just one search!
Academic Databases
These general databases are all good starting points for UNI 110 students.
- Academic Search Ultimate is a great starting place for any topic. It covers all subject areas, has full-text options, and includes articles from popular magazines and scholarly journals. Depending on your topic, you may be able to find everything you need in Academic Search Ultimate.
- CQ Researcher is an excellent source for comprehensive, balanced, unbiased overviews of current issues in the news. The information you find there is meant to educate rather than influence researchers. The link takes you to the CQ Library; from there, select CQ Researcher.
- Access World News offers newspaper coverage from around the US and the world.
- The Arizona Republic is our local newspaper and has available articles from 1999 to the present day. It can be harder to find local information than national information, so contact Ask a Librarian if you need help.
- Alt-PressWatch is a full-text database of selected independent newspapers, magazines, and journals of the alternative press that provides an alternative to mainstream media perspectives on local, national, and international issues.
- Ethnic NewsWatch brings full-text coverage of ethnic and minority presses from around the United States, providing viewpoints and resources you may not find elsewhere!
The ASU Library also offers free digital access to newspapers such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. View this FAQ to learn more about activating your subscriptions as an ASU affiliate.
Google Scholar
If you are not finding appropriate articles from the databases above, try Google Scholar. It is an index to scholarly literature, books, and journals from all subject fields; it uses Google's search algorithm so that you can do natural language searching. ASU Library's link to Google Scholar supplies links to the online collections, allowing you to skip paywalls and additional log-in steps. It also has some filters according to date and topic relevance, but you can also easily find review articles that provide a comprehensive understanding of existing research.
Google Advanced Search & Domain Searching
At the library, we believe in using the best tool for the job. Depending on the information you’re seeking, sometimes that tool may be Google, which is a good source for some types of information, such as technical specifications from a manufacturer or information about local government and nonprofit resources, or to narrow your search to a specific URL.
You can use Google Advanced Search to narrow down your search and make it more specific. For example, you can include specific search terms, phrases, and numbers and filter by languages, regions, or last update. You can also use domain searching to limit your search to a specific site (such as www.asu.edu) or domains (.edu, .gov, .org). This is a good strategy to limit and shape your Google results so you can find very specific or local information.
Limit your searches by adding one of the following to the end of your search string:
- site:.gov
- site:.org
- site:.edu
Examples:
“invasive species” riparian Arizona site:.gov
“Virtual reality” STEM site:.edu
Ask your instructor, success coaches, or ASU librarians if you need help determining the best places to find resources for your topic or research question.