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Updated Monday, November 9, 2009

 

 

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WHAT ARE DATABASES?

FIND DATABASES

by SUBJECT

by TITLE (A-Z)

by VENDOR

via NOVELNY

 

 

What are Databases?

What are databases?

What databases do you have?

How do I choose a database for my subject?

I'm still not sure.

Where can I access the databases?

Can I access the databases from home?

Do the databases contain the full text of articles or books?

Can I email my articles or citations to myself?

Where can I find an article from a specific journal?

What if I can't find the article I'm looking for?

How is a library database different from a web site?

Questions to ask about any information.

What are databases?
Databases organize periodicals so that you can locate articles on a specific topic without being forced to browse through them issue by issue.
Some databases contain books and encyclopedias.
Some databases provide other information such as statistics or company financials.

What databases do you have?
An alphabetic list of databases is on the OHS Library's website. A list of databases by vendor is also available.
When you select one of these, the link may take you to a list of all the databases offered by that company. Select the database you want from their list.

How do I choose a database for my subject?
The best place to start is the list of databases by subject.
Select the broad subject area from the list, and read the database descriptions to see which ones would be most useful to you.

I'm still not sure.
The databases listed under "General" contain articles about almost every subject. Try one of these if you're not sure.
Student Research Center, Student Resource Center, and SIRS Researcher are good choices.
Keep in mind that the more specialized subject databases will provide more comprehensive coverage of their subjects than these general ones will.

Where can I access the databases?
You can access almost every database from any school computer - library, computer labs,   etc. 

Can I access the databases from home?
Yes.  Most of the databases can be accessed from home.  You will have to enter your ID number.  Sometimes you may have to click a different link to the database if you are at home.  Sometimes you will have to type XG57 before your ID.  This shows you are a student at OHS.  Please read all instructions carefully before trying to access databases from home.

Do the databases contain the full text of articles or books?
Most of the databases we subscribe to offer at least some amount of full text online, but only a small percentage of all the periodicals that exist can be accessed this way. In many cases, the database will just provide a citation to an article.

Can I email my articles or citations to myself?
Many databases will let you do this. Ask if you need help.
Emails and saved files might not include illustrations, tables, or graphs that were part of the article.

Where can I find an article from a specific journal?
If you are looking for an article from a specific journal, you can click here to find which journals each database indexes or review listings when you access the selected database. 

What if I can't find an article I am looking for?
If you can't find a specific article you are searching for, please fill out this form and submit it to the library staff.  We will do our utmost to obtain it for you!

The previous is adapted from the B. Davis Schwartz Memorial Library at C. W. Post web site: http://www.cwpost.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/faq.htm#database

 

How is a library database different from a website?

Library databases

Websites
  • Library databases get their information from professionals or experts in the field.
  • Websites can be written by anyone regardless of expertise.
  • Library databases contain published works where facts are checked.
  • Website content is not necessarily checked by an expert.
  • Library databases are easy to cite in a bibliography and may create the citation for you.
  • Websites often don’t provide the information necessary to create a complete citation.
  • Library databases can help you narrow your topic or suggest related subjects.
  • Websites often aren’t organized to support student research needs.
  • Library databases are updated frequently and include the date of publication.
  • Websites may not indicate when a page is updated.

Questions to ask about ANY information:

  • Currency: How recent is the information, and when was it last updated?
  • Organization: Is it easy to find the information you need?
  • Accuracy: How reliable is the information, and are the facts accurate?
  • Bibliography: How easy is the work to cite in a bibliography? Does it give you the author, title, publisher, and date?
  • Unfamiliar Topics: How useful is it when you don’t know where to start?
  • Languages: How easily can the work provide languages other than English?

Any source, whether a library database or website, can have good information. It is necessary to think critically about all information that you read or view.


 

The previous is taken from the Hennepin County Library web site:

http://www.hclib.org/pub/search/Difference.cfm?Topic=Databases&Display=

 

 

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