What is a Database?

What is a database?
How do databases differ from the catalogue?
How is searching databases different from searching the web?

What is a database?

A database is a collection of information, in this case journal articles, arranged in individual records which can be searched by computer. Some databases also include conference papers, book chapters, reports, dissertations, books and other types of information.

Databases collect together articles in a subject area. The subject could be general (eg. education) or more narrowly defined (eg. Australian criminology).

Databases allow you to search for articles using keywords. You can combine keywords or use a phrase to focus your search to find articles most relevant to your topic.

Databases generally provide a reference or citation - enough information to allow you to find the article. The citation would normally include: the title and author of the article; the journal name, volume and issue numbers, pages and date; subject headings and often an abstract (summary) of the article. Sometimes the full text of the article is also available.

Note: Periodicals are also called journals, serials or magazines.

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How do databases differ from the catalogue?

The catalogue shows which books and journals are held by the library, but doesn't describe the detailed content of chapters in the books or the articles within the journals.

To find the articles in journals you use databases. To find journals you use the catalogue, and search for the name of the journal.

The database alerts you to an article that you may want to read. You will then need to search the library catalogue by the title of the journal, to see if the library subscribes to it. The catalogue shows the location (call number) of the journal, and the issues held.

If the journal is held by the library, use the volume and issue numbers, date and pages shown in the citation to locate the article found on the database. If you are a Distance Education student use the "Request a photocopy" link from the catalogue to have a copy of the article sent to you electronically.

If the journal is available "online" follow the instructions for obtaining it.

Look up the name of the journal, rather than the title of the article, when you are trying to find the article in the library.

Note: The library doesn't necessarily hold all the journals that you find in a database.

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How is searching databases different from searching the Web?

Most subject specific databases index the main academic literature of that subject area. Articles indexed on databases are likely to contain more reliable and more thoroughly researched information than material on the Web.

The Web is an excellent source of information about government departments; companies; latest news and lots more. However, when you search the Web you can also find a lot of irrelevant and unsubstantiated information.

Library databases are available via the Web, but they are available only by subscription - your CSU Online username & password allows you to use the databases subscribed to by the Library.

It can be easier to find a collection of articles directly relevant to your assignment by searching the right database rather than surfing the Web.

Unlike the Web, databases are well indexed - someone has looked at each article and given it subject headings. This means that if you can identify relevant subject headings or keywords you should be able to find other articles that use those headings and therefore other relevant articles.

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