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IDS 100 - Perspectives in Liberal Arts

Research guide developed for IDS-100 to help with the four lenses, an introduction to the library, and selecting research topics.

What are Databases, Why do you need them?


A database is a searchable repository of journal articles, newspapers, magazines, and other scholarly resources. As mentioned above, Google does not have access to much of the credible information available. Many types of authoritative information require payment of some kind, but using the databases we subscribe to in the library will give you access to millions of these resources.

Databases can be multidisciplinary, such as Academic Search Ultimate This link opens in a new window or subject-specific, such as Business Source Ultimate This link opens in a new window. A database will have both abstract-only records (no full-text articles) and records with full-text attached.

View a complete list of all the databases the library subscribes to (and some open-access databases) on our A - Z Database List.