How To: Use a Database

Each of your school libraries (and public libraries!) has its own unique mix of research databases that provide access to scholarly literature, popular magazines, newspapers and more.

The primary purpose of a database is to store, organize, and manage data efficiently, allowing for easy access, retrieval, and use. 

Step 1: Choose a Database

When starting your research, it’s important to choose the right database to find credible, relevant information. There are different databases that serve various needs, depending on your topic, the type of resources you need, and the kind of search experience you're looking for.

Step 2: Log Into Database

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Online content from Encyclopaedia Britannica, ProQuest research databases, and TeachingBooks.net are available — at school, at home, in libraries, on laptops, on phones — to all.

All student have acces for free and account made using thier FSUSD gmail.

Solano County Public Library

Your student ID # IS your library card.

Library ID # : FSU + Student ID # (example: FSU123456)

Online password: Last name in ALL CAPS (ex: JONES)

PIN: Birth month and birthday (example: November 10 is 1110)

Directory of Open Access Journals

All journals in DOAJ are open access. Simply select the journal you want to use, and begin your search.

Step 3: Searching the Database

Using Keywords

keywords: words or phrases that will help find relevant articles or research papers.

Example: If you're researching climate change, good keywords might include “global warming,” “carbon emissions,” and “climate effects.”

Advanced Search Techniques

filters: to narrow down results: By date, type of resource (e.g., peer-reviewed), etc.

Boolean operators :(AND, OR, NOT) to combine or exclude terms in a search.

Example: “climate change AND carbon emissions NOT politics.”

Selecting Relevant Results

ook at titles, abstracts, and keywords to decide if an article is useful.

Example: A search for “climate change” may yield hundreds of articles; pick the ones that are most closely related to their topic.

Step 4: Reading & Understanding Research Articles

BEFORE reading the whole article, checkout a few of the key factors to determine if this text will support your research:

  • Title: What is the main focus? Is that relevant?

  • Abstract: A short summary of the research.

  • Credibility : peer-reviewed journals and recognized authors in the field are traditionally trusted sources.

  • Date: check the publication date to make sure the research is current.

If you choose to read an article, here are key parts of it that will help you stay organized while reading.

  • Introduction: What problem does the research address?

  • Methodology: How was the research done?

  • Results/Findings: What did the research discover?

  • Conclusion: What are the takeaways?

Step 5: Citing Sources

  • Why Citation is Important

    • This gives credit to the original authors and avoid plagiarism.

    • Provides evidence for the points in your research paper.

  • How to Cite Database Articles

    • Most databases automatically generate citations in different styles (APA, MLA, Chicago).

    • If auto citations are not available, you can manually format citations if necessary or use genreatorsAHS Library Student Resources

My Bib
Scribbr
Citation Machine
APA Reference Guide
MLA Citations by Format
See More MLA & ALA Student Support

Step 6: Saving and Organizing Research

  • How to Save Articles

    • Save articles they find in the database, either by downloading them or saving the links in a document.

  • Organizing Research Notes

    • Use a tool like Google Docs, Evernote, Paperpile, or OneNote to keep track of useful articles, ideas, and quotes.

    • Create a document or spreadsheet to track the sources and the information they plan to use.

Need Something Else?

Visit the AHS Library Student Resources page to learn more about online resources that are not databases.