Library databases are online collections that search quality journal, magazine, newspaper and other academic sources. they are organised for simple access and searchable by specific fields such as author and title. There are a large number of databases available because there is so much information; there is no one database that covers all the resources available. Some databases will be directly focused on your subject, while others, cover a wider range of subjects so are useful for multidisciplinary topics and topics that don’t fit a specific subject.
Using the databases provided by ATU Library will help you find reliable information from trusted sources.
You will be asked by your lecturers to find credible information when given assignments in your classes. Some lecturers may also ask you to find scholarly or 'peer reviewed' information. Library databases will help you find the information required for your assignments. It is important to note that the majority of information you find in library databases cannot be found for free in Google or other search engines. Scholarly journals are expensive. ATU Library subscribes to scholarly journals and article databases so that you can access this information for free.
Library databases also give you more power over your searches and allows you to be more strategic while searching. For example, many databases will allow you to narrow your search down to particular types of articles (for example: scholarly or news), date, subject etc. These options can refine your searches and retrieve more relevant results.
Which databases you use depends on what you’re looking for, it’s a good idea to start with Search + Find, the library's search engine to get an overview of a topic. To access one of our databases directly by name use the A–Z listing (this page describes each database we have access to). Once you have a general understanding, you can search one of the more specialized subject databases to get more in-depth information from the perspective disciple.
Some very useful multidisciplinary databases are Academic Search Ultimate (a general database with newspapers, magazines, and a great selection of scholarly articles) and ScienceDirect (a general database with full text scholarly articles covering a variety of disciplines).
Tip: Ask a member of the library team if you are stuck on which database to search for your topic!
Not all databases are the same, some have full text, some only have citations, some include many subjects and material formats (e.g. newspaper articles, conference proceedings), and some only contain scholarly articles. General databases like Academic Search Ultimate or ScienceDirect cover a variety of subject areas and include many types of content. Subject specific databases are usually limited to one subject such as nursing or education.
You may need to search in more than one database depending on your topic. Although there may be some overlap, each database contains different journals and provides different results.
Databases and their content are not available on the web for free. Whether you are on or off-campus, you'll be required to login using your ATU email address and network password.
If you have questions about your login information checkout this FAQ page.
Databases are structured in similar ways and have common features. This means that if you can search one database effectively, then your skills are transferable to other databases.
These concepts will form the building blocks of your search strategy. If you are unsure about which search terms to use, start by trying general keywords. Your initial results will help you become familiar with the area and give you ideas for new search terms. Consider possible synonyms, alternative terms & spellings, plurals etc. Expand acronyms: search for 'building information modelling' and 'BIM'.
Searching is very much a trial and error process. You will probably revise & refine your searches several times based on each search's results.
Databases provide an Advanced Search option—use it!
There are different ways to refine your search so that the maximum search results are returned. In addition to trying the suggestions provided on the Search Screens, you could also try any of the following:
Library staff are here to help! You can contact us via:
You can also: