Libraries: Communication: Databases

What is a database?

A library database is a an electronic collection of published works. Library databases have been curated to help you research different topics. Most databases will have full text and abstracting/indexing for academic journals, magazines, newspapers, and other resources.

Full text means that the database will provide digital access to a copy of the articles in the journal.

Abstracting and indexing means that the database provides basic information about articles in a journal. This information usually includes: title, author, publisher, publication date, topic, and an abstract.

An abstract is a summary of the article. It is a very helpful tool for determining if the article you found in the database is right for you.

Recommended Databases

Communications and Mass Media Academic journals and magazines focusing on all aspects of the communications field. Key subjects covered in the database include advertising and public relations, literature and writing, linguistics, and more.
JSTOR Contains almost 1,000 full-text journals spanning multiple disciplines. Some journals go to back to the mid-1800's. There is a gap, typically from 1 to 5 years, between the most recently published journal issues and the issues available in JSTOR.
Project MUSE Provides full-text articles from over 300 high-quality, peer-reviewed journals in the humanities, arts, and social sciences. Most journals are available beginning between 1990 and 2000 to the present.
Social Science Database Journals in the social sciences.
Sociology Database This database covers the international literature of sociology and social work, including culture and social structure, history and theory of sociology, social psychology, substance abuse and addiction and more. This collection provides full-text coverage of many core titles included in Sociological Abstracts and Social Services Abstracts.
Pop Culture Collection Scholarly journals and magazines that both analyze and contribute to popular culture. The database offers useful information for researchers in social science, history, art or liberal arts courses.

Media History Digital Library A free online resource, featuring millions of pages of books and magazines from the histories of film, broadcasting, and recorded sound. Led by Eric Hoyt and the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research.

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Interdisciplinary Databases

Academic OneFile
Academic Search Complete
Ebook Central Contains the full text of over 150,000 academic and general-interest books. Subject areas covered include business and economics, computers, technology and engineering, humanities, life and physical sciences, and social and behavioral sciences.
eBook Collection on EBSCOhost A multidisciplinary collection of about 150,000 electronic books.
General OneFile News, magazine, and periodical articles across a wide range of general interest topics and academic disciplines.
Google Scholar
JSTOR Contains almost 1,000 full-text journals spanning multiple disciplines. Some journals go to back to the mid-1800's. There is a gap, typically from 1 to 5 years, between the most recently published journal issues and the issues available in JSTOR.
MasterFILE Premier
ProQuest Central
WorldCat Dissertations and Theses A comprehensive database of dissertations and theses available in OCLC member libraries. Many can be borrowed from the publishing institution through interlibrary loan (ask at the library for more information).
WorldCat (FirstSearch) WorldCat lets you search the collections of libraries around the world.
WorldCat.org

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