Whether you're just starting your research journey or you're deep into your dissertation, knowing how to find high-quality academic resources is essential. That’s where databases come in!
As part of eResources Week, we’re shining a spotlight on these powerful tools that help you access journal articles, conference papers, standards, theses, and more—all in one place. This blog post will guide you through what databases are, why they’re useful, and how to make the most of them for your studies.
What is a database?
A database is a searchable collection of regularly updated information. It can include:
- journal articles
- conference papers
- books
- patents
- theses
There are different types of databases:
- full text databases will provide access to the complete document
- abstracting and indexing databases include details like the article title, author, date of publication and journal name and often an abstract. Use the Find it @ Strathclyde button to check if the full article is available via SUPrimo.
No database contains everything. Some databases cover a particular subject or concentrate on a specific type of content, for example:
- Compendex - covers all engineering disciplines
- Westlaw - covers a variety of legal information
- Scopus and Web of Science - are multidisciplinary
- Gale Primary sources - allows users to search across various primary source archive collections
- British Standards Online - provides access to official standards
Depending on your topic and your level of study you may need to search a variety of databases. Always look at the content and coverage of a database.
Why use databases?
Databases allow you to search across a wide range of journals (and other types of material) to find information about your topic. This will save you time locating relevant high-quality articles for your studies as you do not have to search journals or other sources individually.
They often contain peer reviewed scholarly resources and unique content that is not available through a search engine.
They have powerful search features and additional functionality such as the ability to save searches and set up alerts to be notified when new articles match your search criteria.
How do I use a database?
Most databases have a search box where you can enter your search terms. You’ll often find drop-down menus that let you choose specific fields to search in, such as:
- author
- title
- abstract
- or multiple fields like topic or document
Use keywords—the terms you would naturally use to describe your topic. These help the database find relevant results.
Some databases also support subject searching. This means you can select a term assigned to a paper (called a subject heading) from a controlled list known as a thesaurus. This can improve the accuracy of your search by using standardised terminology.
You can refine your results using filters such as:
- publication date
- language
- publication type
Some databases offer additional limits, depending on the subject area. These might include:
- age groups of the population (useful in health or social sciences)
- document type (for example: review article, case study)
- study type or methodology (for example: meta-analysis, qualitative study)
These features help you narrow down your search to the most relevant and high-quality resources for your topic.
How do I find databases?
For subject-specific recommendations, check out the Academic Subjects LibGuides (Library Guides). These highlight the key databases for each subject area and often include additional useful resources.
How do I find out more?
Explore these resources to learn more about databases:
- Literature searching: How to find and use databases LibGuide
- Academic Library Skills module on Myplace (particularly Topic 6 on Choosing a database)
- ask staff in the Library or schedule an appointment with your Faculty Librarian
