Database Searching

Which databases do I use?

Selecting the most appropriate databases is an important step in your research process.

The Library provides access to a number of research databases that aim to index a broad range of publications across each research / discipline area, and from many different publishers. You will need to search a number of databases to make sure that you've covered the topic fully.

  1. Go to our Databases page for a full list of databases available through CQUniversity.
  2. Select your discipline area from the Study area or type menu to get a list of databases relevant to your area of research.
  3. Read the database descriptions to see what kind of information each database has and what the coverage is. Not all databases have journal articles. Some databases are for finding specific types of information like standards or statistics or images.
  4. Choose the databases that have the type of information you need to find within your research area.

If your research spans multiple disciplines, you will need to look at the lists of databases for each of these disciplines. If you are researching nursing, for example, you will need the list of nursing databases, but you might also need the psychology databases depending on your research question.

Your lecturer or supervisor should also be able to recommend key databases for you to search.