How to Search the Library and Databases

In this guide, you will find library resources and search tips to help you with your research.

The pages in the left sidebar:

• Introduce you to the library's homepage
• Demonstrate how to use the "Start Your Search" tool to find journal articles
• Explain how to find items in the library catalog
• Discuss how to effectively use keywords and subject terms

Why search for sources through the library? 

It may seem that everything you want to know you can find through Google, but there are many sources to which Google will not connect you. In particular, if you want to view scholarly sources that have strong authority, you'll need to use books and scholarly journal articles. 

Some scholarly journals are freely available, but most are only available through a paid subscription. The Leatherby Libraries subscribes to over 300 databases in order to connect you to journal articles, e-books, and other sources with high scholarly authority. 

Searching is an Iterative Cycle

Iteration (noun): a procedure in which repetition of a sequence of operations yields results successively closer to the desired result.

Research is an iterative cycle, meaning you may need to repeat your search several times. You will need to adapt your search strategy based on the results you receive. You may get too many results--or too few! On the first search, you may not know all the right words to use or all the right places to look. It is normal to feel uncertain and that's okay!

^{“Iteration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/iteration. Accessed 23 Jun. 2020.}

^{"Searching is an Iterative Process." New Literacies Alliance, 27 Jun. 2018, www.softchalkcloud.com/lesson/serve/w7acp8gr3VeX9Q/html. Accessed 23 Jun. 2020.}