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Effective database searching

A guide to using databases, and effective search techniques.

A laptop and diaryWe subscribe to a wide range of databases. These come in three main types. A database can cover:

  • most subjects  (Web of Science, JSTOR)
  • specific subject areas (Royal Society of Chemistry, PhilPapers)
  • specific types of publication (Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global, U.K. Parliamentary Papers).

See the links below for lists of databases in particular subjects, along with an A-Z list of all our databases. There will be brief description of each database. Where there is more detail click on '...more' to view this and any links to support pages. Use this information to judge whether a particular database is appropriate for your search.

For more help, contact your Academic Liaison Librarian.