Databases: Why Use Them?

Research projects often require you to use the body of research produced by scholars in a particular field.   

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, 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! 

Three Databases for Broad Perspectives

These databases are likely to be relevant for many of your topics:

  • Academic Search Premier
    • Why? This multi-disciplinary database is a great place to start: it includes very recent content and a mix of MAGAZINE ARTICLES, NEWS, and ACADEMIC JOURNAL ARTICLES.
  • Google Scholar
    • Why? 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.
  • Social Science Premium Collection
    • Why? This database draws from across the SOCIAL SCIENCES: politics, sociology, psychology, criminology, and media studies are among its strengths. You can expect research conversations about conspiracy theories to be well-represented here. 

Additional Suggestions

These databases are a sampling of the discipline-specific databases available from the Harvard Library. If you're writing with a different lens, ask for a suggestion!

  • PsycINFO
    • Why? For peer-reviewed literature about PSYCHOLOGY and related disciplines, including behavioral science, mental health, psychiatry, education, neurosciences, and social work. Produced by the American Psychological Association. 
  • Communication Abstracts
    • Why? For topics about MEDIA and COMMMUNICATION, including JOURNALISM, SOCIAL MEDIA, advertising, and POLITICAL RHETORIC.
  • 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."
  • Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
    • Why? For the international literature of POLITICAL SCIENCE and international relations.