Need help with Databases? Contact Mrs St Louis (bstlouis@bcdschool.org)
What is a database?
A database is a searchable collection of organized information, such as articles, books, reports, or multimedia, often reviewed or published by experts.
When should I use a database?
You should use databases when conducting research because they provide reliable, high-quality, and up-to-date sources that are not always available through a regular internet search.
Using databases helps you find trustworthy evidence to support your ideas and build stronger, more credible research projects.
What Databases do we have Beaver Subscriptions for?
When and why would I use this database?
This database includes news sources from around the world; most sources are in English, but you can filter results by language. Use it to find perspectives from the country you are studying.
What kind of sources are included?
Primarily news articles. Also includes some magazine and journal articles.
How do I login?
Username: beaver Password: student
When and why would I use this database?
Use this site to find and download datasets from across the web.
What kind of sources are included?
It’s especially useful for science, math, social studies, or any project where you want to analyze real-world data.
How do I login?
No login needed
When and why would I use this database?
This site has a collection of informational database including: World Mythology, American History, Defining Moments in U.S. History, Milestone Documents, and Countries & Cultures.
What kind of sources are included?
In addition to news articles, FactCite contains content from a range of credible biographical and historical collections.
How do I login?
Username: beaver Password: student
When and why would I use this database?
This database focuses on academic research and includes sources on global history, humanities, arts, social sciences, and science and mathematics. Note that most sources are a minimum of 3-5 years old.
What kind of sources are included?
Academic articles, book chapters, and images.
How do I login?
The first time you visit JSTOR you will need to create an account.
On future visits, login using your school email address.
When and why would I use this database?
MetPublications is an online resource from the Metropolitan Museum of Art that offers free access to thousands of art books, catalogs, and research papers.
What kind of sources are included?
Use it to research art history, explore detailed information about artworks, and support school projects with reliable sources.
How do I login?
No login needed
When and why would I use this database?
This is a broad, multidisciplinary database with a wide range of content types.
What kind of sources are included?
Scholarly journals, dissertations, and newspapers.
How do I login?
Sign-in with your school email account
When and why would I use this database?
This is a great general reference database focusing on core subjects and providing curated research topics. It is helpful for finding primary and secondary sources to develop a deeper understanding of a topic.
What kind of sources are included?
Newspapers, magazines, scholarly journals, reference sources, images, and other source types.
How do I login?
Sign-in with your school email account
ProQuest History Study Center:
When and why would I use this database?
This database provides extensive coverage of a range of global historical topics and themes. It includes both current and archival sources and offers a variety of perspectives.
What kind of sources are included?
Newspapers, magazines, ebooks, academic journal articles, reference sources, audio and video recordings, reports, and other source types.
How do I login?
Sign-in with your school email account
ProQuest Learning - Literature:
When and why would I use this database?
Use this database to learn more about a work of literature and how people have interpreted it. It also includes audio and video recordings of poetry. In addition to a general search, you can also browse by by author, literary movement, and time period.
What kind of sources are included?
Academic journal articles, videos and audio recordings, literary criticism, reference works, and author pages.
How do I login?
Sign-in with your school email account
When and why would I use this database?
Use this database to find academic journals and research articles on a range of topics. Use this database when you are ready to go more in-depth with your research.
What kind of sources are included?
Academic journal articles. Please note: We do not have full-text access to every journal in this database.
How do I login?
Select 'Sign in' in the upper right hand corner
Select 'Sign in via your Institution'
Enter your Beaver email address and click 'Continue'
Look for a confirmation email from Elsevier (check your spam folder) verifying your account and giving you an access link
When and why would I use this database?
Use this database to find statistics, data, and survey results presented as charts or tables. Statista also provides access to their data sources in PDF and Excel formats.
What kind of sources are included?
Statistics, reports, and infographics
How do I login?
The first time you visit Statista you will need to create an account.
Select 'Login' in the upper right hand corner
Click 'Register now'
Select the 'Academic' tab and create an account using your Beaver email address.
On future visits, login with your school email address.
What Databases can I access through the Boston Public Library eCard?
You can access a range of databases by logging in with your BPL eCard (you will need your Library Card Number and PIN).
If you haven't registered for a BPL eCard yet, see directions here.
You can see the full BPL eCard A-Z Resources list here.
You can see the full BLP eCard Online Resources by Subject here.
Boston Globe Full Text (2008-Present via ProQuest):
When and why would I use this database?
The full-page images of this digitized newspaper provide genealogists, researchers and scholars with cover-to-cover access to recent newspaper content. Every page is full-text searchable. Coverage extends to within days of the current issue.
What kind of sources are included?
Newspaper
When and why would I use this database?
Access resources at either the middle or high school level. Use this database to build background knowledge and find search terms.
What kind of sources are included?
Reference articles, images, and video clips
When and why would I use this database?
Access resources targeted to younger students and to Spanish language learners. This database includes reference sources written in Spanish.
What kind of sources are included?
Reference articles, images, and video clips
ERIC (Education Resources Information Center):
When and why would I use this database?
An index and full-text digital library of English-language education research. All items are described using the ERIC Thesaurus, a special collection of subject terms for education topics. This resource is created and maintained by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences.
What kind of sources are included?
Journal articles, government publications, reports, theses, dissertations, books, conference proceedings, and audiovisual materials
When and why would I use this database?
This database focuses on academic research and covers a wide range of topics. Use this database when doing more in-depth research.
What kind of sources are included?
Academic journal articles, magazines, and newspapers. Sources are written with an academic audience in mind.
When and why would I use this database?
This database covers the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences, including medicine, business, law, and more.
What kind of sources are included?
Encyclopedias and other specialized reference sources
Gale In Context - Opposing Viewpoints:
When and why would I use this database?
This database includes overviews and opinions on a wide range of contemporary and historical social issues.
What kind of sources are included?
Topic overviews, reference sources, magazines, news
When and why would I use this database?
This database includes analysis, overviews, full-text criticisms, and reviews on writers from different countries and time periods.
What kind of sources are included?
Literary criticism, reviews, news, and transcripts.
When and why would I use this database?
Use this database to find news articles from newspapers across the United States, along with some international newspapers.
What kind of sources are included?
Text-only articles (not page reproductions) from national and international newspapers, newswires, and some magazines. Coverage: 1981-present.
Gale OneFile - Popular Magazines:
When and why would I use this database?
Use this database to find magazine articles written for a general audience. Articles cover current events, sports, science, and health issues.
What kind of sources are included?
Access the most searched magazines across Gale OneFile focusing on current events, sports, science, and health issues.
When and why would I use this database?
Use this link to search all Gale databases at one time. This can be useful if your topic/question involves multiple disciplines or if you aren’t sure where to start your search.
What kind of sources are included?
Cross-search Gale OneFile, Gale In Context, and Gale eBooks. Subjects include: agriculture, biography, business, communications and mass media, criminal justice, culinary arts, diversity studies, economics and theory, environmental studies and policy, fine arts, gardening and horticulture, gender studies, global issues, health and medicine, high school edition, home improvement, hospitality and tourism, information science, insurance and liability, leadership and management, military and intelligence, news, nursing and allied health, opposing viewpoints, physical therapy and sports medicine, pop culture studies, popular magazines, psychology, religion and philosophy, science, U.S. history, war and terrorism, and world history.
Advice for conducting database (or online) research:
There's SO MUCH information available in a database, how can you narrow your search?
Think about what your answer looks like:
Who is interested in this topic?
What words would you use to describe it, and what words would trusted sources use?
Where would trusted sources share this information?
Why would someone use one format or another to communicate this information?
How will you know when you have found what you want?
Create a broad list of Search Terms:
These are words people who are interested in/passionate about your topic use when discussing it.
Use a “stepping stone” source (ex: Wikipedia or Encyclopedia Britannica) to find search terms
Search terms will vary based on the perspective/bias of the source
Beware of false synonyms! For example, “refugee” and “immigrant” are not terms that are used interchangeably.
Use Specific Keywords
Focus on a small number of unique words, mostly nouns
Example: Instead of 'climate change', try 'climate change effects on Arctic wildlife 2024'
Use Context Terms:
This is a word in your search that is not part of the topic, but clarifies the KIND of result you want.
Describe the kind of source you are looking for (ex: report, map, graph, book, timeline)
Would appear in the title, caption, tags or other text on the page
Use Advanced Search Features:
Note that advanced search looks different in each platform and database!
Advanced Search Strategies (slides): Learn more about context terms, advanced Google and database searches.