Margaret Smith Library, SAIAB: Databases

Using a database

A library database provides specific information about what is inside journals or books.

In general, you use a database to find what has been published on a topic and parts of publications

• articles
• essays
• chapters of books
• conference papers
• material that is difficult to obtain/unpublished (e.g.: theses) often referred to as 'grey literature'

Example of a catalogue record for a database

Links not marked Open Access (OA) require Rhodes University Library authorised access through your library login.

Why use a database to search for articles when you can simply “Google” something? Here's why! 

• Searchable collections include abstracts (short summaries) and citations (references) to articles in journals and newspapers; also include other publications like conference papers and chapters in books
• Verified academic sources indexed to retrieve the most relevant results by subject or type of publication.
• No irrelevant information like advertisements.
• Links to older material Many sources such as journal back issues in print are not available on the open Internet; use the databases to link to older RU Library subscriptions.
• Search simulataneously across many years and many publications instead of browsing through individual publications (imagine going through years and years of every issue of a journal).
• ​ Links to full-text articles from many database records.

How to find articles in a database and what to do if you can't!

Why use the Rhodes Library Google Scholar link when you can simply "Google" something? Here's why!

• Searching for information via Rhodes University Library lets you access Rhodes Library subscribed journals 
• You can view the full text of the articles to these subscribed journals
• Google Scholar is also a quick way to review the literature and find scholarly/academic research information

 Google Scholar link