Think of academic databases as online libraries. Like brick and mortar libraries, some databases are large, and some are small. Some databases are very general and cover a number of disciplines and topics while others are very specialized like a law or medical library. Some databases are very easy to use, much like a public library one would find in many towns and cities across the world. There are also databases that are quite complex may require assistance from an expert or online tutorial. Most important is that understand databases, unlike the Word Wide Web, are built by information professionals... by librarians. Just like the ancient libraries of the Roman and Mesopotamian empires, everything is selected because it has value, quality, and validity. Nobody curates the World Wide Web; it is a free-for-all. Consequently, your life in the academic world demands that you consult databases for your academic research.
Video Tutorials
Check out these short Creative Commons tutorials from a number of amazing university libraries.
Popular Sources vs. Popular Sources
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Popular Sources (Magazines & Newspaper articles) |
Scholarly Sources (Journal articles) |
| About | GENERAL INTEREST or POPULAR MAGAZINES do not undergo peer review. They usually have an attractive format with photos and illustrations. They are frequently written for a general audience by a staff or scholarly writer. The language is simple and easy to understand. The purpose of these publications is to provide general information, entertain, and sometimes sell products. They are published by commercial enterprises for profit. Use popular interest journals if you only require general information about a topic. Do not expect to find substantial detail or in-depth analysis | SCHOLARLY JOURNALS are often referred to as peer-reviewed, academic or refereed journals. They contain articles 1tythat have undergone a review process by selected experts in te field before being accepted for publication. They have a serious format and usually have charts and graphs to illustrate concepts. All of the sources are cited with footnotes and/or a bibliography. Scholars or researchers in a specific discipline or field write the articles. The material uses the terminology and language of the discipline and, the reader is expected to have a similar background. The purpose of these journals is to report or make research available to the scholarly world. Many of these journals are published by a professional organization. Use scholarly journals if you need verifiable and highly credible information. Scholarly journals often feature primary research with detailed analysis |
| Appearance | Attractive appearance, Eye-catching cover Pictures and illustrations in color Glossy paper |
Usually plain cover May contain graphs, charts or case studies Plain paper |
| Audience | Non-professionals, General public Written in non-technical language |
Professors, scholars, researchers, or students Written in the technical language of the field |
| Authors | Journalist or professional writers | Researchers, scholars, faculty |
| Content | Personalities, news, and general interest articles A wide variety of subjects Articles written by staff, may be unsigned |
Report original research, discoveries, or experimentation; specific topics Publish research projects, their methodology, and significance Articles written by contributing authors, with institution indicated |
| Advertisements | Heavy | Few or none |
| Reviewers | Reviewed by editors | Reviewed by editors, peers, and referees |
| Publisher | Commercial | Professional associations, academic institutions, commercial publisher |
| Frequency | Published on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis | Published on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis |
| Documentation | Few or no bibliographic references | Bibliographic references (footnotes, end notes, etc.) |
| Examples |
National Geographic |
Biology of the Cell |