Introduction to Databases
A database is a large collection of materials--mostly articles but also books, reports, etc. Some databases are more general, such as JStor or Academic Search Complete (links and descriptions below). Others deal with specific subjects, such as the Education databases listed below. YUFind (link and description below), called a "discovery tool", searches 75% of the databases in the YU library collection all at once, in addition to searching books/ebooks. Google Scholar allows you the power of a Google Search but specifically for scholarly material.
Your search strategy might vary but typically it is a good idea to start with YUFind to cast a wide net, followed by a search in one or more of the education databases, followed by a Google Scholar search, to carry out a more thorough search by checking in various databases instead of just in one. You might find some helpful information in a regular Google search but the bulk of your research should include sources from the scholarly material found in library databases. This information also often is proprietary, so you can not obtain it elsewhere.
Education-specific Databases
- ERIC - Educational Resources Information Center This link opens in a new windowIndexes education journals, reports. and conference papers with full text links to articles.
- Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson) This link opens in a new windowResearch database for education students, professionals and policymakers. Includes full-text education journals on the essentials of education and related fields of study, with in-depth coverage of special education.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) This link opens in a new windowDownloadable data and information from the federal government related to US and international education.
- Gale OneFile: Educators Reference Complete This link opens in a new windowResource for educators and education students. Provides access to periodicals covering pre-school to college and most educational specialties. Includes full-text for many titles cited in ERIC.
General Databases
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowSearches academic journals and books in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Full-text access to most journal articles.
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowA good place to start your research. Contains academic articles in a wide variety of subject areas, including humanities, social sciences, and sciences.
YUFind- An Aggregate Database
- YUFIND This link opens in a new windowA "discovery service" system set up to search many of our electronic databases with a single search.
Google Scholar
- Google Scholar (customized for access to YU-subscribed full text) This link opens in a new windowArticles from scholarly journals and e-books.
To get full-text (where available), enter the keywords or article title in the search box and click on the top link (If there are two) to the right of the result.
**Please note: You should be logged in to YU libraries (you should log in with your credentials at the YUFind advanced search page) to access full text articles owned by YU libraries and listed on Google Scholar.
