Distance Education: Databases

Databases help you find articles from thousands of journals, all with one search.

The fastest way to find articles on a topic is to use the Summon search box on the library homepage, or the search box below. After you type your search words and click Search, use the check boxes on the left side of the results page to limit to just articles, just full text, scholarly or peer reviewed, etc.  

See the Research Basics tab for more information on database searching.

You might also find more articles on your topic in another database meant for finding research in your field.

Find databases from the All Databases link on the library homepage, on the left side of the page under Articles & Databases.

On the All Databases page, we've grouped databases by subject, so if you are studying business, for example, click on Business to find a list of the most common business databases. Each database has a different focus, and not all have the full text of articles. Some have information on a wide range of topics, such as Academic Search Complete, while others have more information on a specific field, such as Criminal Justice Periodicals Index.

For best results, check the descriptions of the database contents and select a database that covers the same subject area as your topic.

If you know the name of the database you are looking for, you can search for the name in the library catalog or in the Databases A - Z list

• All Databases (subject areas)
• Databases A-Z

Using databases can be different from using search engines; try some of the tips in the next box to help with your search.

From the Library home page; 

• use the drop down menu to select Title.
• Enter the title of the journal you are searching for in the search box.
• Select Journals and Magazines.
• Click Search.

Academic Search Complete is a huge database that covers many different disciplines. Many of the articles are from scholarly journals, and most of them are available in full text.

Building Your Search

• Putting terms together with OR will expand your search and give you more results. Using AND will narrow your search and return fewer results.
• If you're searching for a phrase, put it in quotation marks. To find articles about Dr. Seuss's One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, search for "one fish two fish red fish blue fish" instead of one fish two fish red fish blue fish.
• Look for Help pages in a database if you are not having any luck, or it you want to learn more about advanced search options.
• Online tutorials also help with learning databases; select one to see a short video.

When You Find an Article You Like

• If the PDF Full Text or HTML Full Text link isn't available for an article, click the Find It button. You might still be able to get the full text through the library.
• You can also generate MLA citations and email articles to yourself 

When you click on a database, you will be asked for your username and password to show that you are a BGSU student before you can begin searching.

If you receive an error message saying your account has expired, please contact the circulation desk to update your account:

circdesk@libanswers.bgsu.edu, or 419.372.2051