How to Choose a Database
- Find a database using Sherrod Library's subject guides
- We have over 50 guides in a wide variety of subjects that link to best bet databases, journals, books, and more!
- Find a database by browsing subjects
- Use the dropdown menu to find the subject. In parentheses, you will see the number of databases related to that subject. Once you click on a subject, you will see a box of "best bets" and other suggestions.
- Find a database by title - A to Z Databases
- If you know the title of the database you want to use, click the letter it starts with. They are listed alphabetically.
Multidisciplinary Databases
Multidisciplinary databases are not subject-specific and are a great place to get started. Two places to begin your research are EBSCO Databases and ProQuest Central. These two companies host a lot of different databases so they can be helpful when you aren't sure of a specific subject or topic.
Why Not Search the Internet?
Searching on the Internet can bring back hundreds of thousands of "hits" that may or may not be related to your search. In addition, the majority of search results are often unreliable; meaning, they are not authored by credible sources, peer reviewed, or backed by research. With databases, you are able to search specific subjects which will provide you with a manageable amount of "hits." Databases deal only with information that has been published and the majority of the articles are peer-reviewed. In addition, results from Internet searches may ask you to pay to retrieve that information. Databases from the library are free and provide access to full-text articles.