LibGuides: SCLA 101: Using Research Databases

Ready to start your research?

Treat Summon just like Google:

enter your keywords (can be general or specific)
review the list of results
use the left-side options to refine the results
preview something if you're unsure
open/view something to read it

Full Text & Citation Databases and Where to Find Them

MU online databases can provide access to scholarly articles, eBooks, newspapers, magazines, and more.

What's a Scholarly versus Popular source?
What's a Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary source?
What's a Library Database?

Below is a list of databases that are recommended for research in this course.

Click here to see the complete list of MU Libraries Databases.
- Note that you can narrow the list by Subject and Type.

If you can't find something you need, don't be discouraged.

Simply request it from another library via our Information Delivery Services (IDS).

If you have questions about anything on this page, not to worry!

Ask a Librarian.

Click on the Info icon after each name () to learn more about the resource:

Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window The world's most valuable and comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 8,500 full-text periodicals, including more than 7,300 peer-reviewed journals.
In addition to full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 12,500 journals and a total of more than 13,200 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc. The database features PDF content going back as far as 1887, with the majority of full text titles in native (searchable) PDF format. Searchable cited references are provided for more than 1,400 journals. (NOTE: Replaces Academic Search Premier)
ArchiveGrid This link opens in a new window ArchiveGrid includes over 7 million records from archival collections held by thousands of libraries, museums, and historical societies that bring together information about historical documents, personal papers, family histories, and more.
Communication Source This link opens in a new window The most comprehensive resource on the market for communication research. Communication Source was developed from a merger of high-quality EBSCO databases, Communication and Mass Media Complete and Communication Abstracts (formerly published by Sage), and includes many unique sources not previously available in other databases. Communication Source offers abstracts and indexing as well as full-text content from publications worldwide pertaining to Communication, Linguistics, Rhetoric and Discourse, Speech-Language Pathology, Media Studies and other fields relevant to the discipline.
CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window CQ Researcher is often the first source that librarians recommend when researchers are seeking original, comprehensive reporting and analysis on issues in the news. Founded in 1923 as Editorial Research Reports, CQ Researcher is noted for its in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window Now offering more than 800 highly regarded reference titles from over 80 publishers, Credo Reference covers every major subject and also provides Topic Pages as a starting point for researchers.
Ebook Central (ProQuest platform) This link opens in a new window Ebook Central (ProQuest platform) goes to the main ProQuest platform where you can choose to simultaneously search multiple databases in addition to the ebook collections. If you prefer to only search the ebooks collections, try the Ebook Central™ (ProQuest) database below. Ebook Central provides authoritative, full-text e-books in a wide range of subject areas along with powerful tools to find, use, and manage the information.
HD Media Co., LLC (WV Local Newspapers) This link opens in a new window HD Media Co., LLC is a Huntington, West Virginia based publisher of daily and weekly newspapers and magazines. HD Media publishes: Charleston Gazette-Mail, Coal Valley News, Herald-Dispatch, Logan Banner, Williamson Daily News and Wayne County News.
Newspaper Source Plus This link opens in a new window Newspaper Source Plus includes more than 860 full-text newspapers, providing more than 35 million full-text articles. In addition, the database features more than 857,000 television and radio news transcripts.
Points of View Reference Source This link opens in a new window Points of View Reference Center (Ebsco) is an interface intended for public, academic, and high school libraries. Points of View is designed to assist researchers in understanding the full scope of controversial subjects. High school and undergraduate students can use Points of View as a guide to debating, developing arguments, writing position papers, and developing critical thinking skills. Each Points of View Essay includes a series of questions and additional material to generate further thought. Also included are thousands of supporting articles from the world’s top political and societal publications. The Points of View Debate Blog is a forum for students to express and exchange their unique views on topics in the news.
Statista This link opens in a new window Statista is a statistical database that draws more that 1 million statistics from over 18,000 sources. Dossiers, reports, and infographics are included. Categorized into 21 market sectors, Statista.com provides companies, business customers, research institutions, and the academic community with direct access to quantitative data on media, business, finance, politics, and a wide variety of other areas of interest or markets.
WVInfoDepot This link opens in a new window WVInfoDepot.org is collection of article databases, WV history information, and career and educational preparation and tutorials provided by the WV Library Commission for all students and residents in WV. Free registration or a password & user name may be required for certain selections.
If you need assistance with WVInfo Depot, please Ask-A-Librarian at: https://libguides.marshall.edu/ask-a-librarian

Not sure if you have a "popular" or a "scholarly" source? Or maybe just need a refresher?

MU Libraries Evaluating Sources can help. Here you will find the basic differences between popular and scholarly articles reviewed.