When instructors tell students to use library databases to find information on a topic, they are referring to the many subject-specific online research tools the library offers.
For students in classes like English Composition and Effective Oral Communication, an "all-purpose" database like Academic Search Complete is an excellent place to start. See the link in the middle of this screen under Finding Magazine and Journal Articles to access this database.
Additional help in using a database like Academic Search Complete can be found at the bottom middle of this screen under "How To" Tutorials.
ZipSearch is the best place to start most research projects. It includes:
Because ZipSearch includes so many resources, it can be helpful to limit your results. On the initial search page you can limit your results to resources that are available online, peer reviewed, or recently published.
And then on the Search results page you will have additional filter options that can be accessed by selecting 'All filters' below the search box. Pick what filters you want to use and select 'Apply Filters'. Subject and Source Type are two of the more useful filters.
If you are not able to find what you are looking for using ZipSearch, then please Contact the Library and we would be happy to help. You can also checkout the Library's Subject Guides for help researching a particular subject.
Certain materials are easier to find using the Library Catalog. This is because the Library Catalog has different search options and results. These materials include:
Multi-disciplinary source for scholarly, popular, professional, and news publications. This is a good place to start many searches or to gather material from various disciplines at once.
A primary resource covering current social issues that helps students discover, analyze, and organize a broad variety of data for conducting research, writing assignments, debates, and presentations. By providing both pro and con perspectives on many topics, this is an excellent starting point for building an argumentative essay.
This resource assists researchers in understanding the full scope of controversial subjects.
Provides cover-to-cover full-text access to many U.S. and international newspapers.
A news collection (including the Akron Beacon Journal), explore issues and events at the local, regional, national and international level. Its diverse source types include print and online-only newspapers, blogs, newswires, journals, broadcast transcripts and videos. Use it to explore a specific event or to compare a wide variety of viewpoints on topics such as politics, business, health, sports, cultural activities and people.