Why use databases?
There are several ways to find literature via the Murdoch Library.
Which is best for finding a particular article? How do you research a particular discipline?
To discover when you should use which resource, refer to the below:
Library Search is the easiest way to search the Library’s print and digital resources from a single search box. Library Search will also search databases the Library subscribes to for digital resources (these include articles, conference papers, videos, etc.).
It is a quick way to locate items you may already have details about and a useful tool when you need to find high quality resources on a topic.
See the video below for more details.
If a particular book, article or other resource is not held in the University Library, you can request it from another library.
Databases are more comprehensive and are therefore preferred over Library Search to find specialised information in your subject area.
Academic databases are online repositories or collections of scholarly and academic resources, such as journals and journal articles, conference papers, theses, ebooks, streaming media and other types of academic publications which may not be accessible via a general internet search.
These databases are specifically designed to help researchers, students, and academics access reliable and peer-reviewed information for their studies and research projects.
Use databases to conduct in-depth searching within a specific field or subject area.
Use the below link to search databases by title, or select from subject-specific lists.
For more help on how to use databases in your research:
If you locate a particular book, article or other resource that is only available as an abstract or citation, you can request the Library gain access for you and we will advise further:
Google Scholar is not a substitute for databases but can be useful when you need a quick and broad overview of a topic, when you are conducting interdisciplinary research, or when you want free and easily accessible content. It is user-friendly and provides citation metrics. See the video below for more details.
Link Murdoch University to your Google Scholar:
- Click on the 3 lines in the top left of screen (hamburger menu icon).
- Select Settings.
- Select Library links from the Settings menu.
- Type 'Murdoch' into the search box and click Find Library.
- Tick the box next to Murdoch University - Find it@Murdoch
- Save your new settings.
Now when you search for articles in Google Scholar, you will see a link to Findit@Murdoch to the right of the item result if the articles are in our collection.
From these results, you can determine the title of the journal the articles or studies are published in. You can then search Ulrichsweb to check if the article is from a peer-reviewed journal.
For further Google Scholar assistance, see our series of YouTube videos:
Now that you know which resource to use to access literature, you will need to search Databases. To begin, you will need to develop and plan your search.
For more information on developing Advanced Research Skills, refer to the next page:
Study and research support
Beginner study and research support:
Intermediate and advanced research support:
Database help links
- Databases Search databases by title, or select from subject-specific lists.
- Databases help Get help with searching databases
- Borrowing from other libraries Request full text items from other libraries
- How to use databases [YouTube] Source standards, news articles, business content and more
Ask our Librarians
