Getting Started with Searching Databases for Articles & more
Begin your research by seeking some general background information about your topic using reference resources (below). Library databases are online collections of resources and can include a variety of formats as well as levels of quality. There are general databases such as the Quick Search and discipline specific databases.
- General databases: cover most subjects and index a variety of publications including scholarly (or peer-reviewed) journals, newspapers, and magazines.
- Subject specific databases: specialize in a subject area and tend to include scholarly journals and books.
For more information about what reference resources are, click here. For more guidance on how to research, click here. Some reference resource can be found in print at the library, while other reference resources are available electronically. *Remember, you can always search through the PCC Library, search for FAQs and ask for help!
Research Databases
These databases are good starting points for your research. They are user-friendly and trustworthy resources. If you are unfamiliar with using research databases, these are especially good, before you use more subject-specific databases.
- Gale Virtual Reference Library Specialized encyclopedias and dictionaries on the arts, business, education, environment, history, law, medicine, science and social science
- ProQuest Research Library Provides access to a wide range of the core academic titles, from business and the sciences to literature and politics.
- Academic Search Premier: An unprecedented collection of peer-reviewed, full-text journals for academic research.
- JSTOR Academic journals, books, and primary sources as well as current issues of journals.
- Google Scholar: Searches scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, and technical reports. Includes some full text links.
- Encyclopedia Britannica Online An online version of the Encyclopedia Britannica.
- Points of View Reference Center Containing resources that present multiple sides of an issue, this database provides rich content that can help students assess and develop persuasive arguments and essays, better understand controversial issues and develop analytical thinking skills.
Journals & Magazines
- IEEE Spectrum: The latest technology news and analysis from the world's leading engineering magazine.
- Science Magazine: Scholarly research articles from one of the most famous science journals in the world.
- Mechanical Engineering Magazine: By the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Can read articles without being a member.
- Modern Mechanical Engineering Modern Mechanical Engineering: (MME) is an international journal dedicated to the latest advancements in mechanical engineering. The goal of this journal is to provide a platform for scientists and academicians all over the world to promote, share, and discuss various new issues and developments in different areas of mechanical engineering.
- Materials Sciences and Applications: (MSA) is an international journal dedicated to the latest advancements in materials. The goal of this journal is to provide a platform for scientists and academicians all over the world to promote, share, and discuss various new issues and developments in different areas of materials sciences and applications.
- Advances in Civil Engineering: A peer-reviewed, open access journal that publishes original research articles as well as review articles in all areas of civil engineering.
- Chemical Engineering: Chemical Engineering essentials for the global chemical processing industries (CPI)
- Environmental Science & Engineering Magazine
- Popular Mechanics
More options for finding open access journals
Open Access (OA) means free unrestricted online access to peer-review scholarly research, including scholarly journal articles, theses, book chapters and scholarly monographs. For more information about open access and how it applies to you please view the Open Access Library Guide.
- DOAJ: The Directory of Open Access Journals provides full text coverage of scientific, scholarly journals.
- PLOS One: A database of open access, peer reviewed journals in the sciences.
Scholarly, Popular, Trade?
Different types of publications have different purposes and different audiences. When we talk about journals, we can usually divide these publications into three broad categories: scholarly, popular, and trade publications.
| Scholarly Journals | Popular Journals | Trade Journals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Informs and reports on original research done by scholars and experts in the field. | Entertains and informs a general audience without providing in-depth analysis. | Reports on industry trends and new products or techniques useful to people in a trade or business. |
| Authors | Articles are written by subject specialists and experts in the field. | Articles are written by journalists, freelance writers, or an editorial staff. | Articles are written by specialists in a certain field or industry. |
| Audience | Intended for a limited audience - researchers, scholars, and experts. | Intended for a broad segment of the population, appealing to non-specialists. | Intended for practititioners in a particular profession, business, or industry. |
Free Online Engineering, Science and Technology Databases
- Civil Engineering Database (CEDB): Bibliographic database for all ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) publications including journals, conference proceedings, books, standards, manuals, and magazines on all disciplines of civil engineering.
- IEEE Xplore IEEE publications and standards in engineering, computer science, and related fields.
- National Academies Press (NAP): Free download of all PDFs in education, science, medicine, engineering and more.
- Science Reference Center: Reference articles and book chapters about STEM topics.
- ProQuest Science Journals: Providing full text for hundreds of science magazines, journals, reference books and high-quality videos.
- Gale: Science: Showcases topics across the curriculum, covering biology, chemistry, earth and environmental science, physics, and more.
- PubMed (MEDLINE and more): National Library of Medicine. PubMed comprises over 30 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Include the fields of biomedicine & health, life sciences behavioral sciences, chemical sciences, and bioengineering.
- JSTOR Sustainability Discover a wide range of journals, ebooks, and research reports in the field of sustainability. The subjects of resilience and sustainability are explored broadly, covering research on environmental stresses and their impact on society.
- GALE Computer Science: This database provides access to leading business and technical publications in the computer, telecommunications, and electronics industries.
For more database options for Science & Technology, click here.
What are Peer-Reviewed Articles?
Does your instructor require you to use scholarly, or peer-reviewed articles? Watch the video below from Vanderbuilt University to find out what peer-reviewed articles are.
Scholarly vs Non-Scholarly Resources
Your instructor may ask you to use only scholarly resources for your paper. What's the difference between a scholarly or non-scholarly resource?
Scholarly (peer-reviewed) sources include books and articles published in scholarly journals, encyclopedias, and books. These sources are reviewed by a panel of experts in that particular field, and are often published by a professional association or a university press. These experts ensure the information published is credible before accepting it for publication.
Non-Scholarly sources include websites, magazines, newspapers, and books that undergo no expert review prior to publishing.
Check with your instructor if you plan to use any non-scholarly websites and use the CRAAP test to evaluate them.