Multidisciplinary and Subject Databases (via Harvard Libraries)

When you know the discipline you want to search, a database devoted to it gives you more ways to target your search (with keywords for time period, music genre, etc.), plus results you won't see anywhere else. These are our top picks, but Harvard licenses many hundreds of databases, so please get in touch for a personalized recommendation! 

  • Academic Search Premier
    • Why? This multi-disciplinary database is a great place to start: you'll see both MAGAZINE ARTICLES and ACADEMIC JOURNAL ARTICLES in your results. Use magazine articles to get a quick overview for a general audience: one way to find your bearings and get a sense of the vocabulary around a topic.
  • America: History and Life
    • Why? For AMERICAN HISTORY. History databases allow for very fine-grained searching on your subject dates: check out the options under "Advanced Search."
  • Gender Watch
    • Why? Full text of scholarly journals, popular magazines, newspapers, newsletters, regional publications, books, and NGO, government and special reports related to GENDER.
  • Race Relations Abstracts
    • Why? Useful for any topics related to RACE, including ethnic studies, discrimination, immigration studies, etc.
  • Social Science Premium Collection
    • ​​​​​​​Why? Search across a range of index and full-text social sciences databases, covering subject areas including POLITICS, SOCIOLOGY, and EDUCATION.​​​​​​​

A Note on Google Scholar

Google Scholar

Familiar, current, and especially helpful for tracing citation paths, to find out what other sources cite a given article, and/or what sources its author cited.

Google Scholar is perfectly acceptable for most general forays into scholarship; its algorithms are excellent and do return relevant results. 

NOTE: One simple change can turn Google Scholar into what's effectively a Harvard database with links to the full-text of articles that the library can provide. Here's what to do: 

  • Click on the hamburger menu on the left ()
  • Under "Settings," select "Library Links."
  • Type "Harvard University" into the search box and save your choice.  As long as you allow cookies, the settings will persist.