How to Begin a Database Search: The Very First Steps
The John M. Pfau Library pays for access to more than 150 databases (our Deep Web) that are carefully chosen to support CSUSB's curriculum and student research. But which one should you use?
Follow the basic steps below or view the video tutorial which covers those steps and a bit more. Also, a librarian can recommend the best databases for your topic, help you choose some keyword search strategies, and demonstrate how the databases work.
HINT! Starting your research on our website with our databases ensures that you will have free access to all the full text included in our database subscriptions.
YOU ALSO MAY BE INTERESTED IN:
- What Are Scholarly Journals?Does your assignment require you to use scholarly journal articles? Here's how to identify them.
- Keyword Search StrategiesTried and true strategies for getting the best search results for your topic.
- Articles: Find Articles on Your TopicFull instructions and a video walkthrough in one of our databases.
- Maximize Your Full Text!You clicked on something that said "full text" and now you are looking at a very confusing screen. Here's help for that!
TUTORIAL
STEP 1 - CLICK ON THE CHOOSE A DATABASE BUTTON
On the front page of the library's website, find the Choose a Database button shown below, and click on it.
STEP 2 - CLICK ON A BROAD SUBJECT AREA
The next screen will be a list of subject areas; there are multiple databases in each of these subjects. Match the subject area to the class you are taking or to the topic you are working on. Not sure which subject area matches your class or topic? Ask a librarian for help or chose the Articles option from the list.
Did you know there are seven ways to get help on your assignments and research from librarians? See our brief guide below for details.
STEP 3: CLICK ON A DATABASE
Clicking on any of the subjects reveals the list of databases for that subject. The list will start with the recommended databases--the ones that are typically the most useful for the subject--then continue with on with databases that also are useful, and may conclude with a selection of Library Guides to aid you in your research. You also will see, to the right of the database list, the librarian that specializes in that subject.
Here is an example with the list of databases in psychology. Now you can choose a database by clicking on its name and get into it.
STEP 4 - SET UP YOUR SEARCH
This example shows the search screen of the PsycINFO database. By the way, EBSCOhost is the name of the software, not the database.
Most of the time, other than typing in your keyword search, you only need to click in the box for Scholarly (peer reviewed) Journals.
NEVER click in the box for full text on a search screen! Why? Because doing so turns off a system we paid extra for that gets you the maximum amount of full text possible across all of our 150 databases.
NEED A LARGER VIEW OF THE SCREENSHOT ABOVE? GO TO THE NEXT TAB.