what is a library research database

In Library terminology, a "database" is pretty much any online source of information which has a search engine. Some common types include:

It's also important to note that : we often subscribe to only a portion of the content available on a given site. Just as we don't purchase copies of every book and journal in print, we don't subscribe to every e-book or online jourrnal available!

Tips For Researching

To verify whether or not you have a  ,

use  .

ASU Library has   to improve research skills.

retrieves many articles, books and other resources from ASU Library's collections. It's a good first place to start.
On the right hand side, refine your search to "Items with full text online." See the "Find Articles" tab above to search individual subject databases.

Google Scholar is an enhanced version of Google that provides scholarly research results. If you use this search box (or the Google Scholar link on the library home page) you will be connected to full text links via the ASU Library. Watch this  tutorial  about using Google Scholar at ASU Library!

Click here to go to the Physical and Other Materials page  to learn more on how to request, borrow, and return books, chapters, articles, microform, materials not available at ASU Library, and more.

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Library Information Literacy and Research Tutorials

• Tutorial 1: Library Orientation
• Tutorial 2: Understanding Source Types
• Tutorial 3: Developing a Search Strategy
• Tutorial 4: Searching a Database
• Tutorial 5: Evaluating Sources
• Tutorial 6: Citing Sources

Learning Objectives

By the end of Tutorial 4: Searching a Database, you should know how to:

• Define the term research database.
• Differentiate between a keyword search and a subject search.
• Build a search using Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT).
• Use several techniques for narrowing or broadening your search results. 

Estimated tutorial time: 35 minutes

What is a Research Database?

A database is a searchable collection of information. A research database is where you find journal, magazine, and newspaper articles. Each database contains thousands of articles published in many different journals, allowing you find relevant articles faster than you would by searching individual journals.

Some databases are  full text , where they provide the complete text of works such as articles or books. Other databases will only provide abstracts , or summaries, of articles or books.

Searching a Library database is different from searching the Internet.

Selecting a Database

Some of our library research databases are interdisciplinary and some are discipline-specific. Selecting the best research databases for your topic is an important step to take in your search strategy: this will save you time and help you find the most relevant and appropriate sources. You might also want to consider if the databases you're using cover your topic within the date range you need, and if you should search multiple databases to look at your topic from different disciplinary perspectives.

You can access all of our databases from the  Databases A-Z  page or find subject-specific lists of databases in our  Research Guides . To find the most relevant databases for a specific topic, course, or discipline, you can: 

• Use our  Research Guides
• Use the "Subjects" dropdown menu on the  Databases A-Z  page 
• Ask your instructor or librarian for database recommendations

Keyword Searching

Keywords  are the important words, phrases, or concepts related to your research topic. You’ll need to  identify your main concepts and search terms  to find the most relevant sources in our library databases. 

Search engines like Google use a  natural language algorithm . That means you can enter an entire question or even just talk to Google and get lots of results. If you search Google for "What is the effect of social media use on university students’ sleep?" you get millions of results.

But searching for an entire question in a database will not get you any results, or at least not many good ones. Library databases are more specific and will only give you exactly what you put in. Instead, enter just your keywords, often separated with one concept per search box: 

A database’s keyword search looks for the words you’ve entered anywhere in an article’s record  fields  (such as the article Title and the article abstract), and sometimes in the article full text. In the example database article record below, you can see the keywords "sleep," "social media," and "university students" in  bold  wherever they appear.

Keyword highlights in the article title in the database's search results:

Keyword highlights in the article's full record and abstract:

Take some time to develop a list of keywords before starting your search. Remember that keywords should be the main subjects in your topic, and not connecting words such as "what," "effect," or "on." If you’re not sure which terms or combinations of terms might work best, talk to a librarian.

Subject Searching

Subject terms.

Unlike keyword searches,  subject searches  only return results that include your search term in the subject headings field.

Many databases use a  controlled vocabulary , which is a list of standardized subject headings used to index content. You can usually find the database's controlled vocabulary in a section called  subject terms  on the article record page or in the database  thesaurus . Most database article records will have subject terms assigned to them in their record.

In the Academic Search Premier database, subjects can be found below the article Title, Author, and Journal information fields on the search results list:

Subjects can also be found in the full article record. Clicking on a subject term in an article record will start a new search using that exact subject term instead of a keyword: 

Using a Database Thesaurus

Use the database thesaurus to determine which word or phrase is the one used by the database for a specific concept. For example, since "university students" and "college students" mean roughly the same thing, a database may choose to index all articles on this topic under the psychology concept of "college students." That way, a subject search for "college students" will also return articles about "university students," along with other similar terms.

Once you know the subject term, it can be used instead of a keyword in your search. In the example below, the keyword phrase "university students" is replaced with "COLLEGE students" and the "SU Subject Terms" field is selected from the menu next to the search box, which tells the database a preferred subject term is being used. 

Searching with subject terms can make your results much more precise. It can also help you expand your list of effective search terms to use in other databases. 

Keyword vs. Subject Searching

Databases have different interfaces and use different subject terms, but most provide both keyword and subject searching. Let's take a closer look at the differences between these two search options.

Watch the video below to learn more about Keyword vs. Subject Searching:

Source: Wayne State University Libraries Instruction. “ Keyword vs. Subject Searching .” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 9 January 2014. Web. 12 May 2017.

Boolean Operators

When you want to combine search terms, you will need to use the Boolean operators , or connectors. This is best done using the advanced search mode. There are three main Boolean operators: AND, OR, and NOT.

Use AND to retrieve articles that mention  both terms  somewhere in the article. The use of AND generally will retrieve fewer but more focused results .

Example: Childhood obesity AND exercise

Use OR  between two terms to retrieve articles that mention  either term . The use of OR generally will retrieve a  larger set of results . The OR operator is useful when searching with terms that are synonyms or convey the same concept.

Example: Cloning OR genetics OR reproduction

Use NOT to exclude terms . The use of NOT allows you to remove search results containing a specific term. The use of NOT generally will retrieve fewer but more relevant results .

Example: Eating disorders NOT anorexia

Effective use of Boolean operators is essential to sophisticated research. Watch the video below to learn more about Boolean searching.

Source: McMaster Libraries. "How Library Stuff Works: Boolean Operators (AND OR NOT)" Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 28 November 2016. 1 August 2020.

Phrase Searching

Place quotation marks around a phrase to search for that exact phrase. Most databases support phrase searching .

Example: A search for "United Nations" (with the quotation marks) will return only results where the two words appear together as a phrase.

For a quick demo, watch the video below.

Source: "Tips and Tricks: Phrase Searching" by North Carolina State University Libraries, licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US License .

Truncation  is a search technique that uses a word stem  (or  root word) to broaden your search to include various word endings and spellings. A  word stem  is either a word or just the beginning part of a word that can have multiple endings. For example, the word stem  journal*  could have multiple endings like journals , journalist , or journalism , while  nurs* would include nurse, nurses, and nursing. 

To search using truncation, just enter the word stem followed by the truncation symbol; most databases use an asterisk (*). You can check a database's Help page to see if there's a different symbol you should use; some databases, for example, use a question mark (?) instead.

Searches using the word stem  educ *  will return results with any terms like educate , educated , educator , education , or educational . Searches using the word stem analy* will return results with any terms like analyze , analyse (British English spelling), analyst , or analysis . 

Watch the following video to review how truncation searching works:

Source: KU Libraries. "Search by Truncation." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 15 April 2015. 5 August 2020. 

Broadening Your Search

Keep in mind that if you're looking for an all-in-one source that addresses your topic perfectly, you might need to change your approach. Watch this short video to learn what to do when you can't find enough resources on your topic.

Source: “One Perfect Source?” by North Carolina State University Libraries, licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US License .

If you aren’t finding many sources when doing a database search, remember these techniques that can help to broaden your search.

• Make sure you are separating your search terms into keywords and putting one concept in each search box 
• Remove a keyword from your search
•  Use a broader term as the keyword for your topic or concept
• Add in different synonyms for your keywords using the Boolean operator "OR"
• Use a truncation symbol to search for various endings of a word

Narrowing Your Search

If you are getting thousands or millions of search results, you will want to narrow your search. There are several techniques you can use, some of which have already been covered in this module.

• Add another concept to your search using the Boolean operator "AND" to focus your results
• Use “quotation marks” to search for multiple words as an exact phrase 

• Remove unrelated records by using the Boolean operator "NOT"
• Use search limiters provided in the database

Limiters  are tools that help you narrow the focus of your search so that the information retrieved from the database is limited according to the values you select. You can apply more than one limiter at a time. In an EBSCO database like  Academic Search Premier , the limiters are usually found on a menu to the left of your search results. The types of limiters available will vary by database, but the most common ones are listed below.

• Full Text  – Click to limit results to articles with full text available in the database. Use this option with caution as the full text of an article may be in a different database we have access to, which you can find using the Find It button. You can also get access to full text articles by using Interlibrary Loan.
• Scholarly / Peer Reviewed  – Limits search results to just articles from scholarly, peer-reviewed journals. Note that not all articles in scholarly journals are peer reviewed, such as letters to the editor and book reviews.
• Publication Date  – Use this option to search for articles before or after a specific date, or within a specified date range.
• Source Type  – Select from the types of sources available in the database, such as journal articles, magazines, newspapers, etc. The type of source you will want depends on your information needs.
• Subject: Thesaurus Term  – Use the subject terms related to your search results to help narrow and focus your results on a particular topic.
• Language  – Some databases include many materials that have been published in different languages. Use this option to limit your search results to a language you feel comfortable reading.

Getting Full Text

Not all research databases are full text , where they provide the complete text of every article they have. Some databases only provide abstracts , or summaries, of their articles. When viewing an article record in a database, look for a link or button for the PDF or HTML Full Text.

If you don’t see a full-text option for an article you need, look for a Find It button.

Clicking on Find It will show you if the full text of an article is available in one of our other databases (either through the Find It page or through LibKey) or if you’ll need to request a copy through Interlibrary Loan.

LibKey for Full Text

In the example below, clicking on Find It takes you to a LibKey page that provides the full text PDF of the article for download and a link to the article's location in a different database. 

Link to View Full Text

In the example below, clicking on Find It take you to a page showing the details of the article and which database it is located in (ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Database). Click the View Full Text link to go to the page where the full text can be accessed in ProQuest.

Request Full Text Through Interlibrary Loan 

If there is no full text available in any of the library's databases, as shown in the next example below, click the Request Item through Interlibrary Loan button further down on the Find It page. Once you have requested an article through  Interlibrary Loan , a copy will be emailed to you within a few days. 

Caution: Paywalls

Beware! When searching for articles, especially when using an open-web search engine such as Google, you can run into paywalls where the database or website where the article is located asks you to pay money to get access to the full text. As a CSB and SJU student you should not pay for individual articles. Instead, request a free copy of the article using Interlibrary Loan or talk to a librarian for help getting access.

Quiz 4: Searching a Database

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Finding Information

• Types of Information Resources

Introduction

What are databases, further reading, learning objectives.

• Find ebooks
• Find Articles
• Find Newspaper Articles
• Find Images
• Getting Copies of Articles and Books You Can't Find

This page is designed to help you:

• Identify at least two differences between the type of information available through general search engines and academic databases
• Understand what research databases are and why they are a valuable part of academic work

There are many types of databases that you can use for your research. The database you choose will depend on what type of information you want to find. 

Research databases, such as JSTOR and Academic Search Premier, uncover the world of scholarly information. Most of the content in these databases is only available through the library. The complete list of databases is on the Databases A-Z list. The Library has purchased access to hundreds of databases on your behalf. There is no charge to use these resources.

Search Engines 

Research Databases

Let us search for the same thing in Google and in a general academic database called Academic Search Premier.

Search for the impact of social media on teenagers

Results in Google

Notes about these results in Google:

• 81,500,000 results
• Advertisements are the first two results
• Highlighted article with images from a high school
• Ability to quickly sort based on top Google categories: News, Images, Videos, Shopping

Search results in Academic Search Premier

Notes about these results in the Academic Search Premier database:

• 3 are from academic journals
• Able to quickly sort by scholarly qualification and publication date
• Avdic, A., & Eklund, A. (2010). Searching reference databases: What students experience and what teachers believe that students experience. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 42 (4), 224–235. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961000610380119

This page was designed to help you:

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Answered By: Yumi Shin Last Updated: Dec 05, 2021     Views: 2491

Merriam-Webster Dictionary ( Britannica Academic Edition ) defines database  as a "...collection of data organized especially for rapid search and retrieval (as by a computer)." Library research databases  identify, describe, and often include or link to full text of published information sources such as journal articles, newspaper articles, books, ebooks, government documents, etc.

Some library databases (examples: Academic Search Complete , OmniFile Full Text Mega ) are appropriate for any subject or topic. Others such as Humanities Full Text  or Women's Studies International  focus on a particular subject discipline while still others focus on a specific information format ( Films on Demand , for example, includes only streaming videos). OneSearch can be used to search almost all of the library's databases at once (be aware that it lacks some specialized limiters and features found in individual databases).

While some databases like PubMed  are free on the World Wide Web, access to most must be purchased by the library or state-funded programs like TexShare. Many of the library's subscription databases come from just a few providers or vendors, such as EBSCO and ProQuest.

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• Research Databases
• About the Library

Database Search

What is Database Search?

Harvard Library licenses hundreds of online databases, giving you access to academic and news articles, books, journals, primary sources, streaming media, and much more.

The contents of these databases are only partially included in HOLLIS. To make sure you're really seeing everything, you need to search in multiple places. Use Database Search to identify and connect to the best databases for your topic.

In addition to digital content, you will find specialized search engines used in specific scholarly domains.

Related Services & Tools

Research Tutorial

• Library Research Tutorial
• What Is a Thesis Statement?
• Topic Development
• Improve Your Research Question
• Good and Bad Research Questions
• Video Review
• Sources for Background Reading
• What about Wikipedia?
• Related Terms
• Subject Terms
• Boolean Searching
• Advanced Searching Techniques
• Definition of "Scholarly"
• Subject Guides
• Individual Databases
• Open Access Resources
• Google Scholar
• USMAI Book Search
• Evaluation of Sources
• Academic Writing
• Writing Resources
• Citing Sources
• Citation Formats
• Citation Resources
• Academic Integrity
• Research on the Job

The UMGC library also has access to many different individual databases that are focused on specific subject areas. These databases are often the best place to locate scholarly/peer-reviewed articles. These databases have information from a variety of sources, including:

The UMGC Library's research databases contain a wealth of resources, including scholarly publications, professional literature, analytical articles, directory and statistical information, book chapters, essays, etc., typical of the wide variety of information available in an academic library. Most of the databases contain the full text of articles.

The best way to locate a database on your topic is through one of the Subject Guides discussed on the previous page. Also, if you have a favorite database, you can always find it from the A-Z List of databases .

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University of Houston Libraries

What’s the difference between a research database and google, what’s the difference between a research database and google.

Brought to you by the University of Houston Libraries.

As part of your research, your instructor may sometimes require you to use articles or other resources from the library’s research databases . But what is a research database and why are they useful?

A research database is an organized, searchable collection of information that allows you to quickly search many resources simultaneously. Databases can be general, such as Academic Search Complete or ProQuest , or subject-specific, such as PsycInfo , which has resources related to psychology, or America, History and Life , which has resources related to history.

So what makes a research database different than other search engines, like Google? There are a few important distinctions to keep in mind when you’re using a research database instead of Google. First, the types of information you’re searching are usually different. Google searches for results across the internet, including websites, while research databases typically include scholarly journal articles, popular magazine articles and newspapers, books, and videos. The content of a research database is also reviewed and updated regularly.

Also, how you search is different. Google uses natural language searching, which allows you to search using complete sentences, such as “How many moons does Jupiter have?”. Google also searches the full text of resources, which usually means you get many results, but not all of them are relevant to your search query. Research databases use more precise, keyword searching, and most don’t automatically search the full text of a resource. Keywords are words or phrases that describe the topic you’re researching, and you’ll want to use them when searching databases to locate the most relevant resources on your topic.

Also, while Google offers some advanced searching options , most people don’t need to use them to find what they’re looking for. However, advanced search options in research databases, such as filtering by date, language, document format, and peer review status, can be effective in retrieving more relevant, precise results. Google also uses ads and tracks its users based on what they’re searching and clicking on, which the library doesn’t.

Both Google and research databases can be useful depending on your information need, and results from both need to be evaluated for accuracy and credibility. If you’re searching for scholarly research in mechanical engineering, a subject-specific engineering database would be a better place to search than Google. However, if you’re looking for websites of professional engineering organizations , Google is the better search option.

If you still have questions about research databases and how to use them, contact UH Libraries for help.

• What is the Difference Between a Research Database and Google transcript

• Madigan Library
• Research Guides
• Industrial & Computer Technologies
• CSC124 Information, Technology, and Society
• What is a Library Database?

CSC124 Information, Technology, and Society: What is a Library Database?

• Information Defined
• Evaluate Information
• Where to Begin Your Research
• Cite Sources
• Word Project: Annotated Bibliography Assignment
• Information Literacy Module

What is a Database?

While searching a "library database" might sound intimidating, don't feel anxious.  A library database often refers to an online collection of scholarly articles, case studies, periodicals, analyses of companies and businesses, and so much more!  The library has access to many resources so that you can find what you need to complete your projects. 

 Another important fact is that you have access to these resources for free .  The library pays for these resources, so that you can have get the information that you need.  Information comes in various formats--images, full text articles, eBooks, maps, and building plans.  You can find many resources to fit your projects.

Google Versus Library Databases

Library databases are better than Google in a number of ways:

• The articles in databases are free for you to use--the library pays for the resources.
• The certain articles on databases are peer reviewed by panels of experts in the field so the information is accurate and detailed.
• Databases have numerous limiters that allow users to narrow down their search terms to only retrieve useful results.
• Full text versions of articles are available, either in the database or through interlibrary loan.
• If you find an article on a topic you need, databases provide citations to other articles on similar topics so you can find more resources.

The Online Catalog

The Madigan Library Discovery catalog includes the largest network of content and services. Includes articles, books, eBooks, videos, and digital items.

The library catalog is a great tool that searches across many databases and collections .  Just like for databases, in the catalog you can limit your search in order to get the right information for your projects.  The catalog will find books (print or eBooks), articles, periodicals, films, and images.

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Library Research: Understanding Library Databases: Why are databases useful?

• Defining Databases
• How to Access Databases at the Library
• Accessing Databases On/Off Campus
• Why are databases useful?
• Facts about databases
• Types of databases
• Strategies for finding databases
• Understanding What's in a database
• Define your topic
• Choose keywords
• Boolean Operators
• Examples of using AND, OR, NOT
• Wildcards and Truncation
• Subject Headings
• Video: Choosing a Database
• Tutorial: Choosing & Using Keywords
• Quiz: Choosing and Using Keywords
• Quiz: Choosing a Database
• Tutorial: Search Techniques, Part 1
• Tutorial: Search Techniques, Part 2
• Quiz: Search Techniques
• Video: Refining Search Results

John B. Cade Library

Why is it a good choice to use library databases to conduct research for your research paper?

Library Databases are useful for Authority, Accuracy, and Access.

• Authority - Library databases contain works from professionally published sources and information are more likely to come from an expert on a particular topic. Unlike a website where it may be hard to tell who is responsible for the content, a library database clearly indicates the author and source.
• Accuracy and currency-Information in library databases are checked for accuracy and library databases always include the date of publication.
• Access - Library databases offer options like related terms, search options to broaden or narrow the search, and other organizational tools that support your research.
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Using Databases for Your Research

• What is a Subject Database?
• Selecting Databases
• Searching for Peer-Reviewed Articles
• General Tips for Searching in EBSCO Databases
• APA PsycInfo
• CINAHL Plus
• UDiscover This link opens in a new window
• Web of Science
• Cited Reference Searches

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 937-229-4234

Text us: 937-412-0023

Twitter: @roeschlibrary

What is a "subject database" and how will it help with my research?

• A library database is typically defined as a source of information that can be searched online through simple or complex queries. Subject databases are a type of database, and they differ from other types of databases--such as the library's catalog or our discovery layer --in that subject databases typically focus on a specific academic field or topic area. For example, the  MLA International Bibliography database searches across a curated set of e-journals and e-books in the fields of literature, languages, folklore, and linguistics. If you know you want to research a topic in any of these fields, then it is to your advantage to run your search in this database. For nearly every field, UD Libraries offers one or more subject-specific databases .
• Advantages of using subject databases:  Unlike broad search engines such as Google Scholar or UDiscover, subject databases help reduce the number of search results that are not relevant to your topic--something which occurs because subject databases search across a much smaller set of resources. Perhaps more importantly, because subject-specific databases typically retrieve fewer search results, they make it easier to understand what's been published on your topic over time, which in turn allows you to identify the individual results that are most relevant for your project (as opposed to relying on search results that are the most convenient and determined by a search algorithm). These results almost always indicate whether or not an article is "scholarly," something which is important when you need to locate peer-reviewed articles for your research or assignment.
• Subject databases and full-text content:  Some databases will store and index full-text content, whereas others will index the citations and abstracts of articles. This second category without full-text content is still highly applicable for conducting research, and their search results will typically provide direct links to the full-text of a specific journal article or e-book (or they will provide a link to request the item through our free interlibrary loan service  available to all UD faculty, staff, and students). Key examples of databases that do not include full-text content are Web of Science and Google Scholar.
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Princeton University Library

• Background Information
• Find Articles
• Get the Full Text of a Journal Article
• Why Can't I Find That Article?

Library Research Methods

• Evaluating Websites
• Citing Sources
• Productivity Tools for Scholars

(Adapted from Thomas Mann, Library Research Models )

Keyword searches . Search relevant keywords in catalogs, indexes, search engines, and full-text resources. Useful both to narrow a search to the specific subject heading and to find sources not captured under a relevant subject heading. To search a database effectively, start with a Keyword search, find relevant records, and then find relevant Subject Headings. In search engines, include many keywords to narrow the search and carefully evaluate what you find.

Subject searches .  Subject Headings (sometimes called Descriptors) are specific terms or phrases used consistently by online or print indexes to describe what a book or journal article is about. This is true of the library’s Catalog as well as many other library databases . 

Look for recent, scholarly books and articles. Within catalogs and databases, sort by the most recent date and look for books from scholarly presses and articles from scholarly journals. The more recent the source, the more up-to-date the references and citations.

Citation searches in scholarly sources .  Track down references, footnotes, endnotes, citations, etc. within relevant readings. Search for specific books or journals in the library’s Catalog . This technique helps you become part of the scholarly conversation on a particular topic.

Searches through published bibliographies (including sets of footnotes in relevant subject documents).  Published bibliographies on particular subjects (Shakespeare, alcoholism, etc.) often list sources missed through other kinds of searches. BIBLIOGRAPHY is a subject heading in the Catalog , so a Guided Search with BIBLIOGRAPHY as a Subject and your topic as a keyword will help you find these.

Searches through people sources (whether by verbal contact, e-mail, etc.). People are often more willing to help than you might think. The people to start with are often professors with relevant knowledge or librarians.

Systematic browsing, especially of full-text sources arranged in predictable subject groupings . Libraries organize books by subject, with similar books shelved together.  Browsing the stacks is a good way to find similar books; however, in large libraries, some books are not in the main stacks (e.g., they might be checked out or in ReCAP), so use the catalog as well.

The advantages of trying all these research methods are that:

Each of these ways of searching is applicable in any subject area

None of them is confined exclusively to English-language sources

Each has both strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages

The weaknesses within any one method are balanced by the strengths of the others

The strength of each is precisely that it is capable of turning up information or knowledge records that cannot be found efficiently—or often even at all—by any of the others

How to Gut a (Scholarly) Book in 5 Almost-easy Steps

Evaluating sources.

From Wayne C. Booth et al., The Craft of Research , 4th ed., pp.76-79

5.4 EVALUATING SOURCES FOR RELEVANCE AND RELIABILITY When you start looking for sources, you’ll find more than you can use, so you must quickly evaluate their usefulness; use two criteria: relevance and reliability.

5.4.1 Evaluating Sources for Relevance

If your source is a book, do this:

• Skim its index for your key words, then skim the pages on which those words occur.
• Skim the first and last paragraphs in chapters that use a lot of your key words.
• Skim prologues, introductions, summary chapters, and so on.
• Skim the last chapter, especially the >rst and last two or three pages.
• If the source is a collection of articles, skim the editor’s introduction.
• Check the bibliography for titles relevant to your topic.

If your source is an article, do this:

• Read the abstract, if it has one.
• Skim the introduction and conclusion, or if they are not marked by headings, skim the first six or seven paragraphs and the last four or five.
• Skim for section headings, and read the first and last paragraphs of those sections.

If your source is online, do this:

• If it looks like a printed article, follow the steps for a journal article.
• Skim sections labeled “introduction,” “overview,” “summary,” or the like. If there are none, look for a link labeled “About the Site” or something similar.
• If the site has a link labeled “Site Map” or “Index,” check it for your key words and skim the referenced pages.
• If the site has a “search” resource, type in your key words.

This kind of speedy reading can guide your own writing and revision. If you do not structure your report so your readers can skim it quickly and see the outlines of your argument, your report has a problem, an issue we discuss in chapters 12 and 14.

5.4.2 Evaluating Sources for Reliability You can’t judge a source until you read it, but there are signs of its reliability:

1. Is the source published or posted online by a reputable press? Most university presses are reliable, especially if you recognize the name of the university. Some commercial presses are reliable in some fields, such as Norton in literature, Ablex in sciences, or West in law. Be skeptical of a commercial book that makes sensational claims, even if its author has a PhD after his name. Be especially careful about sources on hotly contested social issues such as stem-cell research, gun control, and global warming. Many books and articles are published by individuals or organizations driven by ideology. Libraries often include them for the sake of coverage, but don’t assume they are reliable.

2. Was the book or article peer-reviewed? Most reputable presses and journals ask experts to review a book or article before it is published; it is called “peer review.” Many essay collections, however, are reviewed only by the named editor(s). Few commercial magazines use peer review. If a publication hasn’t been peer-reviewed, be suspicious.

3. Is the author a reputable scholar? This is hard to answer if you are new to a field. Most publications cite an author’s academic credentials; you can find more with a search engine. Most established scholars are reliable, but be cautious if the topic is a contested social issue such as gun control or abortion. Even reputable scholars can have axes to grind, especially if their research is financially supported by a special interest group. Go online to check out anyone an author thanks for support, including foundations that supported her work.

4. If the source is available only online, is it sponsored by a reputable organization? A Web site is only as reliable as its sponsor. You can usually trust one sponsored and maintained by a reputable organization. But if the site has not been updated recently, it may have been abandoned and is no longer endorsed by its sponsor. Some sites supported by individuals are reliable; most are not. Do a Web search for the name of the sponsor to find out more about it.

5. Is the source current? You must use up-to-date sources, but what counts as current depends on the field. In computer science, a journal article can be out-of-date in months; in the social sciences, ten years pushes the limit. Publications have a longer life in the humanities: in philosophy, primary sources are current for centuries, secondary ones for decades. In general, a source that sets out a major position or theory that other researchers accept will stay current longer than those that respond to or develop it. Assume that most textbooks are not current (except, of course, this one).

If you don’t know how to gauge currency in your field, look at the dates of articles in the works cited of a new book or article: you can cite works as old as the older ones in that list (but perhaps not as old as the oldest). Try to find a standard edition of primary works such as novels, plays, letters, and so on (it is usually not the most recent). Be sure that you consult the most recent edition of a secondary or tertiary source (researchers often change their views, even rejecting ones they espoused in earlier editions).

6. If the source is a book, does it have a notes and a bibliography? If not, be suspicious, because you have no way to follow up on anything the source claims.

7. If the source is a Web site, does it include bibliographical data? You cannot know how to judge the reliability of a site that does not indicate who sponsors and maintains it, who wrote what’s posted there, and when it was posted or last updated.

8. If the source is a Web site, does it approach its topic judiciously? Your readers are unlikely to trust a site that engages in heated advocacy, attacks those who disagree, makes wild claims, uses abusive language, or makes errors of spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

The following criteria are particularly important for advanced students:

9. If the source is a book, has it been well reviewed? Many fields have indexes to published reviews that tell you how others evaluate a source.

10. Has the source been frequently cited by others? You can roughly estimate how influential a source is by how often others cite it. To determine that, consult a citation index.

• << Previous: Why Can't I Find That Article?
• Next: Evaluating Sources >>
• Last Updated: Oct 17, 2023 3:09 PM
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Finding articles.

• Get Help in the Library
• Using the Library's Physical Space
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Using Database Filters

When you online shopping, you might use filters to narrow down your results to have a better chance of finding what you are looking for. We also do this when we are trying to find articles in a database. All of our databases have filters, that vary slightly but will be very helpful in narrowing your search and finding articles. 

A few key filters include: 

• Publication date - your professor may include a specific publication date range that you need to use for your search
• Publication type - peer-reviewed article, newspaper article, book chapter, trade publication, etc. For more information about source types, check out our Sources Series  blogs.
• Peer-reviewed - some databases include a filter to narrow down your results to only peer-reviewed articles. These articles were written by experts in their field and then reviewed by experts before being published. 

In the default settings for most of our databases, adding search terms will narrow your results. This could mean you add a gender, age group, or other qualification to your search. For example: You might be researching depression in college athletes. So your initial search terms were depression and athletes. This was too broad and you might want to add the term college or female to your search to narrow the results.

Tips for Finding Additional Search Terms

Sometimes your initial search terms may not be enough to find the articles you need, so you will need to try searching the databases with different search terms. You can generate additional search terms by thinking of synonyms for your initial search terms, scanning the list of results for keywords that you haven't thought of, or using the Thesaurus or Subject Terms feature in the database (see our "How to Use the Thesaurus Feature" video for instructions). You may also want to talk with your professor, classmates, or librarian for help brainstorming additional search terms. 

Choosing an Article

Finding the right article for your research assignment can be challenging and there may not be a perfect article. Often you may need to do more than one search or go to the second page of the search results list. However, this process can help you with narrowing down the possibilities. 

1. Scan the results list for titles that sound interesting or best match your topic.

2. Click on the title of the article to open the detailed record page

3. Read the abstract or summary to learn more about what will be discussed in the article. 

4. If the abstract sounds promising, email this article to yourself, so you can come back and read it later.

5. After you have found the potentially helpful articles, skim it to further decide if it is helpful. A rule of thumb would be to find at least 3 more articles than the number required for your assignment, that way if some of the articles you thought would work don't, you still have articles to choose from without having to restart your search. 

6. Read the article and take notes. You may also want to ask questions as you read or highlight citations that pique your interest. Adding your own summary about the article can help you when you have to come back to the article during the writing process. 

• << Previous: Starting your Research
• Next: Citing Sources >>

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Make a research coach appointment with a librarian today and get help framing research questions, finding or accessing resources, and citation help.  Students can meet with a librarian face-to-face in Jackson or through Microsoft Teams video conferencing.

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The Oxford Guide to Library Research

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With all of the new developments in information storage and retrieval, researchers today need a clear and comprehensive overview of the full range of their options, both online and offline, for finding the best information quickly. In this third edition of The Oxford Guide to Library Research, Thomas Mann maps out an array not just of important databases and print sources, but of several specific search techniques that can be applied profitably in any area of research. From academic resources to government documents to manuscripts in archives to business Web sites, Mann shows readers how best to exploit controlled subject headings, explains why browsing library shelves is still important in an online age, demonstrates how citation searching and related record searching produce results far beyond keyword inquiries, and offers practical tips on making personal contacts with knowledgeable people. Against the trendy but mistaken assumption that "everything" can be found on the Internet, Mann shows the lasting value of physical libraries and the unexpected power of traditional search mechanisms, while also providing the best overview of the new capabilities of computer indexing. Throughout the book Mann enlivens his advice with real-world examples derived from his experience of having helped thousands of researchers, with interests in all subjects areas, over a quarter century. Along the way he provides striking demonstrations and powerful arguments against those theorists who have mistakenly announced the demise of print. Essential reading for students, scholars, professional researchers, and laypersons, The Oxford Guide to Library Research offers a rich, inclusive overview of the information field, one that can save researchers countless hours of frustration in the search for the best sources on their topics.

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Forest Inventory and Analysis

For nearly 100 years, the FIA program has been recognized as a world leader in conducting national-scale forest inventories. FIA information is widely used to address local and regional issues related to trends in forest extent, health and productivity; land cover and land use change; and the changing demographics of private forest landowners.

• Nationwide Forest Inventory
• National Resource Use Monitoring
• National Woodland Owner Survey
• Urban Forest Inventory and Analysis
• Forest Definitions
• Tree Volume, Biomass, and Carbon Models
• Technology Transfer
• USDA Climate Hubs
• Laboratories
• Centers and Groups
• Experimental Forests and Ranges
• Urban Field Stations

The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the USDA Forest Service Research and Development Branch collects, processes, analyzes, and reports on data necessary for assessing the extent and condition of forest resources in the United States.

• Events and Alerts
• Data and Tools

What does the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program do? 

Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) is a congressionally mandated program that delivers current, consistent, and credible information about the status of forests and forest resources within the United States by continually collecting and analyzing data about these forests and the values they provide. FIA works to: 

• Collect annualized data relating to forest resources, health and ownership.
• Collect and analyze a consistent core set of ecological data on all forests to view trends over time. 
• Utilize new and emerging technologies to acquire data through remote sensing and field activities. 

FIA completes data collection and analysis work within four main inventories: 

• The Nationwide Forest Inventory (NFI) : a network of permanent plots, located in non-urban areas that are forested (or capable of being forested). NFI plots are remeasured every 5-10 years depending on location. Information on the site, land use, trees, and both standing and dead trees is collected on all plots. Additionally, information about down woody material, soils and understory vegetation is collected on a subset of plots.
• The National Resource Use Monitoring (NRUM) : a survey which collects information on manufacturers that use harvested wood products for reporting on size of facilities, products that are manufactured, manufacturing capacity, and other data points. 
• The National Woodland Owners Survey (NWOS) : a survey that collects information on private forest landowners to understand why they own the land, what they use it for, and how they are planning on managing their land over time.
• Urban Inventory : an inventory program that monitors the Nation’s urban forests, examines social dimensions of urban forests and green spaces, and estimates the industrial and nonindustrial uses of urban wood. 

FIA also works with experts from universities and trusted partners to expand research capacity, analytical capabilities, and continually develop and enhance our inventory and monitoring techniques within these inventories. 

Program Deliverables 

Information and trends are important indicators of the conservation and sustainable management of United States forests, and these trends provide policymakers, partners, and other users a variety of data that inform their land-management decisions over time.  Our users can rely on the credibility of our information to make critical land management, policy, and investment decisions. Data outputs include, but are not limited to: 

• Developing summaries and reports detailing forest health and productivity every five years. 
• Providing current and historical data across political and administrative boundaries and land ownerships, including urban forests.
• Developing data sets and analytical products that include a wide array of forest ecosystem parameters addressing the extent, productivity, health, ownership, and utilization of United States forests. 

FIA seeks to address emerging user needs by conducting development research in additional to its operational surveys. Current research focuses on seven strategic areas that were identified in previous legislation and the 2015 FIA Strategic Plan . Three of these research portfolios have successfully been operationalized and are each described above (NRUM, NWOS, and Urban). The other four research portfolios include: 

• developing estimation and accounting compilation systems and tools, 
• advancing carbon pool science (including harvested wood products)
• leveraging FIA remeasurements and auxiliary information for change estimation and attribution across spatial and temporal scales, and 
• information carbon management, mitigation, and adaptation activities.
• Digital Engagement: The mission of the digital engagement portfolio is to transform FIA's analysis, reporting, and delivery of information. This work is made possible through collaboration with agency and external partners to develop and publish relevant and authoritative data that supports user needs. To see examples of FIA's digital engagement work in action, visit the FIA Geospatial Showcase or learn about the BIGMAP project . 
• leverage FIA's unique dataset to lead national LULC monitoring,
• create a forum for FIA LULC experts to coordinate research within and outside of the program; and
• communicate new LULC research to FIA's customers. Visit the FIA Land Resources Explorer to view information on land use, land cover, and change in an interactive map. 
• a nationwide, experimental series of annual, county level forest area and biomass estimates by 2025, and
• area and biomass change by 2027. 

National Program Coordination

The FIA Program is implemented across four units located at USDA Forest Service Research Stations: The Northern Research Station, the Pacific Northwest Research Station, the Rocky Mountain Research Station, and the Southern Research Station. National teams of FIA specialists work together to ensure consistency and efficiency in data collection, management, and analysis. They review and implement modifications, additions, or deletions to any component of the National FIA Program. These teams cross four functional areas, known as Bands: 

• Data Acquisition Band: Focuses on standardization of FIA’s core field data collection across the US. This includes testing new protocols, developing documentation and training programs, and conducting quality assurance. For more information on data acquisition contact the Data Acquisition Band Lead,  Maryfaith Snyder. 
• Information Management Band: Focuses on data management systems for FIA data, including systems for data collection, data editing and validation, internal and public databases, and web applications that allow all users to access and analyze FIA data. For more information, contact the Information Management Band Lead,  Chad Keyser . 
• Analysis Band: Focuses on reporting and providing statistically defensible methods for summarizing FIA data, including identification of new variables (either field measured or computed) needed by FIA customers. For more information, contact the Analysis Band Lead,  Randy Morin . 
• Techniques Research Band: Focuses on improving the efficiency, timeliness, and quality of the FIA program through research that assesses and integrates new technologies and methodologies into current FIA workflows. The band addresses problem areas outlined in the FIA strategic plan or identified by Congress, FIA Program Managers for each unit, or National FIA leadership. For more information on the Techniques Research Band contact the Techniques Research Band Lead,  Hans Andersen .

Background Information and History

The FIA program concept is over 120 years old. The Organic Act of 1897, which established the National Forest System, included provisions for inventory and management of those lands. In 1928, the Forestry Research Act (McSweeney-McNary) directed the Secretary of Agriculture to make and keep current a comprehensive inventory and analysis of the Nation’s forest resources. The Resources Planning Act of 1974 (RPA, PL 93-378) amended the earlier research act. The Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978 (PL 95-307) replaced earlier Forestry Research legislation but repeated the amendment contained in the RPA and further instructed the Secretary of Agriculture to:

 “...obtain, analyze, develop, demonstrate, and disseminate scientific information about protecting, managing, and utilizing forest and rangeland renewable resources in rural, suburban, and urban areas” 

The National Forest Management Act of 1976 (PL 94-588) directed the USDA Forest Service to:

 “ensure research on and (based upon continuous monitoring and assessment in the field) evaluation of the effects of each management system…” 

More recently, in 1999 (Farm Bill, Public Law 105-185) and again in 2014 (Farm Bill, Public Law 113-79), Congress directed the Forest Service to reevaluate its statewide inventory mission and to transition to survey each State annually rather than periodically, with the exception of Interior Alaska and U.S. associated islands of the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean. Additionally, FIA was directed to implement urban forest inventories, improve sub-state estimation precision, and improve the timber product output program among other provisions. In collaboration with partners, FIA developed strategic plans to fully transition into an annualized inventory and comply with other requirements. 

User Notifications and Bulletins

• FIADB v1.9.1 release is now available. EVALIDator and DATIM Live have been updated as well to accommodate the database changes. Updates include changes to cubic-foot volume, biomass, and carbon estimates. More information about those changes can be found here: Tree Volume, Biomass and Carbon Models.  
• June 21, 2022: Estimates and statistics based on Alaska borough and census areas may be misleading. FIA's Alaska inventory is ongoing and many survey units have yet to be sampled. The FIA inventory Alaska survey unit boundaries do not follow Alaska’s borough and census area boundaries or ecoregions. The survey units were outlined broadly encompassing major watershed boundaries. Because much of Alaska is not organized into a recognized borough (county equivalent), the FIA program utilizes the Census Bureau Census Area boundaries as the county equivalents in those areas. However, Alaskan borough and municipality boundaries have changed multiple times since the inception of the FIA annualized inventory (~2004). The Census Bureau has also frequently changed Alaskan Census Area boundaries over that same timeframe. Therefore, any FIA reported estimates reflect only the Alaska survey units involved. Any estimates and summary statistics calculated based on borough or Census Area spatial extents may be misleading due to the variability of these features. For more information, please see the supporting documentation here .

Upcoming Events

Forest inventory and analysis science symposium, november 19-21, 2024.

• The symposium offers an opportunity for scientific and technical exchange, drawing together a world-class group of partners, practitioners, and scientists with regional, national, and international inventory and monitoring missions. Find more information about the symposium HERE .

Work with Us

FIA work is coordinated and accomplished out of four regional units that cover the nation, including U.S. territories. Staff and contractors complete our work from different locations across the country. For more information on contracts for field work, contact the person associated with the location you are interested in. 

• Northern (CT, DE, IA, IL, IN, KS, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SD, VT, WI, WV): Gayle Geiger
• Pacific Northwest (AK): Dan Irvine 
• Pacific Northwest (OR, CA, and WA): Jonny Beals-Nesmith 
• Rocky Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, WY, UT): Maryfaith Snyder 
• Southern (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA): Angie Rowe

Data Download

Data Analysis Tools

Data Consultations and Requests

Key Personnel

National contacts.

Linda S. Heath

Renate Bush

Sara A. Goeking

Donavon A. Nigg, Jr.

Regional program managers.

Burl Carraway

Charles H. (Hobie) Perry

Sharon Stanton

Michael j. wilson, the inventories, nationwide forest inventory (nfi).

National Resource Use Monitoring (NRUM)

National woodland owner survey (nwos).

Urban Forest Inventory and Analysis Program

Sampling and estimation documentation.

• J.A. Westfall, J.W. Coulston, G.G. Moisen, H.-E Andersen. 2022. Sampling and estimation documentation for the Enhanced Forest Inventory and Analysis Program: 2022

Business and Organizational Documents

Forest Inventory and Analysis Strategic Plan

2022 forest inventory and analysis business report.

2021 Forest Inventory and Analysis Business Report

Additional resources, forest inventory and analysis glossary - standard terminology, the forest inventory and analysis database user guide (nfi), contributions to national and global reporting.

Resources Planning Act (RPA) 

FIA data is analyzed on a five-year cycle to produce The Forest Resources of the United States , a supporting document to the RPA Assessment that contains information on the status, condition, and trends in the Nation’s Forest resources.

National Report on Sustainable Forests 

FIA data is an essential foundation for the National Report on Sustainable Forests and its 54 indicators of forests sustainability, particularly those indicators covering forest extent, structure, and productivity. Without FIA data, the National Report would not be possible.

FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment 

Data concerning the state of the Nation’s forests reported by the United States to the Global Forest Resources Assessment and assembled by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO) come almost exclusively from the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program.

Greenhouse gas inventories to the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change 

FIA estimates of carbon in forests are crucial for the U.S. national reporting of greenhouse gas inventories to the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change.

The North American Forest Database 

A platform for enhanced North American forest inventory and monitoring data integration that complements the national forest assessment tools of Canada, Mexico and the USA and the UN FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA).

Carbon Assessments 

The Forest Service produces the authoritative research, analyses, and tools for carbon monitoring and estimation across the nation The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program is the foundation for data on forest carbon stocks and fluxes at all scales, from farm scale to the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory reporting for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Forest Sustainability Reporting for the Montreal Process, carbon assessment across National Forests and Grasslands, and beyond.

Fifth National Climate Assessment 

The Fifth National Climate Assessment is the US Government’s preeminent report on climate change impacts, risks, and responses. FIA scientists and FIA data contributed to the sections related to forests.

Library catalogue and self-service checkout unavailable 2-4am Sunday 7 July

Due to system maintenance, the Library Catalogue and self-checkout system will be unavailable from 2-4am on Sunday 7July.

During this time, you will not be able to search or view content via the Library Catalogue, or borrow via the self-check machines. 

To access electronic resources during this time, we would recommend browsing our  list of e-resources and databases  and  e-journals list.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

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