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ENGL110 - ELI

Databases for Majors

Many databases are focused on a specific academic discipline or major. While general databases might be sufficient for your English 110 research, you can try one of the following databases for access to additional sources. If you want to continue exploring databases, browse a full list of databases by subject here. Watch this video for a quick overview of how to access articles through databases. 

Database Search Tips

Getting Started
Use these strategies for your initial search in any database. 

  • Try one or two keywords for your first search (see Doing Background Research for tips on identifying keywords)
  • Connect keywords with AND: self-driving cars AND consumers
  • After you do a search, use the filter to narrow your results. The filter allows you to:
    • Limit your results to full text so you can read articles immediately 
    • Set a publication date range for your results
    • Select appropriate source types for your assignment, including magazines, newspapers, and trade publications (see Understanding Source Types to learn about features of these sources). 

Continuing the Search Process
Use these strategies to refine your results and investigate different areas of your topic. 

  • Identify hyperlinked tags on an article's information page. Try clicking on these to expand your search, or add them to your keyword list.
  • When you find an article that looks interesting, scan it for additional keywords. Add these to your list for future use.
  • Try several different searches using a variety of keyword combinations. Consider how the keywords you use will help you find information about different issues within your topic. 
  • Use the toolbar on an article information page to save potentially useful articles. In most databases, you can download the article to your Google Drive, save the article to your computer, or email it to yourself.
  • Once you have found a few articles that look interesting, pause your search and take some time to determine their relevance and potential usefulness with the strategies on the Evaluating Sources page. When you come back to your search, you'll have a better idea of what else you need to find. 
Subjects: Course Guides