The word "database" appears frequently throughout the InfoSkills tutorial, so it's important to understand what it means. Here's our definition:
In everyday life, you’ve probably used databases – for example, when searching for songs on Spotify, looking up friends on Instagram, browsing clothes in an online store, and more.
A library database is a specialized type of database that gives you access to a wide variety of trusted and high-quality information sources. They typically include articles from scholarly journals. Library databases may also include articles from professional journals covering specific industries or trades, along with articles from reputable newspapers and magazines.
Beyond articles, many library databases also provide access to (e-)books and high-quality grey literature, including working papers, research reports, and conference papers.
Not all databases offer full-text access to every listed document. Sometimes, a database will show only abstracts or citation information for certain items, while full-text access is available for others. Articles from open access journals, which are free for everyone, are often included.
Below is an example of a record for an article and its associated fields from the ProQuest database:
Take a moment to watch this brief 2.28-minute video.
Source: North Carolina State University Libraries. Published under a Creative Commons 3.0 BY-NC-SA US license.
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by Tilburg University.