Databases are specialized search engines for finding journal articles.
The library subscribes to hundreds of databases. Some of these databases are multidisciplinary and cover all subject areas. Others are subject-specific and only include journals focused on that field of study. For example, if you are searching the Psychology database PsycInfo, you will only retrieve articles focused on Psychology.
In LEAP 8, we recommend starting your search for journal articles in the multidisciplinary database Academic Search Complete.
A complete list of recommended subject-specific databases is provided on the library website.
Until now, you have mostly been reading popular journal articles in the LEAP program. Popular articles are written for the general public, usually by journalists. Journalists are excellent researchers and writers, but not necessarily experts on the topics they write about.
In LEAP 8, you may feel ready to read academic (or scholarly) articles on your topic. These articles are written by experts, usually university professors or researchers with doctorate degrees. Academic articles undergo a rigorous editorial process called peer-review (see the video below for details).
If you plan on taking university-transfer (UT) classes after LEAP, your instructors will likely require you read academic articles.
Many articles in the library databases are available in full text; If not, look for the Check for Full Text link.
This will take you to an interlibrary loan request form. Once submitted, the article will usually be delivered to your email account in 3-5 working days.
Academic articles are written by subject experts for subject experts. For this reason, they can be difficult for non-experts (like us) to understand.
If you find an interesting academic article on your topic, read strategically. Focus on:
These sections tend to be easiest for non-experts to understand.