Here's a quick guide to help you find the right database for your research.
1. What resource are you looking for?
The first thing to consider is what resource you are looking for. Is it peer-reviewed journal articles? Scholarly images or plans and elevations of a particular site? Do you need to consult mapping tools to analyze and survey an area? Maybe peruse e-books on a particular topic?
Considering the type of resources will help guide you on the Database Homepage.
Please see the tab, Types of Resources, to learn in detail what databases we have based on resource type.
2. Think of scope.
Next is consider the scope of your research. Is the scope of your research topic big or small? Is it interdisciplinary or highly specialized?
Looking at the list, we have databases that cover a range of disciplines to others that are highly specialized.
The databases have roughly been divided by general resource type and topic, but many databases are interdisciplinary and often overlap.
To understand the scope of a particular database, read the description below the database title.
The information between brackets "[ ]" describes the type of resources you will find in the database. For the example below for Bloomsbury Architecture Library, it says you can find eBooks and Images.
3. Curating your go-to tools for research.
As you continue to access various databases, you will start to gain intuitive knowledge of which databases to go to and develop preferences for one database over another.
Whether online or analog (scribbled on a notebook), we recommend noting down which databases were useful in developing your own system for research. Some may prefer to begin with JSTOR for an interdisciplinary start or others may prefer specific databases that cater best to their research topic. Being able to consult multiple databases can help you do the most comprehensive search for resources.
