Databases provide a collection of information in electronic format. Databases usually contain the following information:
When looking for articles be aware that in general these can be newspaper, magazine, trade (also known as professional), or academic (also known as scholarly or peer-reviewed articles), which are found in academic journals. Always refer to your assignment specifications to make sure you are looking for the correct type of article. You can find articles through the Library Catalog or Library Databases at MXC Library.
Types of Article
| Scholarly (Peer-Reviewed, Academic) | Popular (Magazines) | Newspaper | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Audience |
Audience with knowledge in the field. Language is very technical. |
General audience. Language is easy to understand. |
General audience. Language is easy to understand. |
| Authority |
Also known as Peer-Reviewed, Academic, or Scholarly Journals. Written by researchers, academics, scientist, professors, etc. |
Generally considered popular-interest sources. Generally written by journalists, professional writers, and in some cases scientist or scholars for non-academic purposes. |
Generally written by journalists and reporters with or without special training in the subject. |
| Best | To find in-depth research and analysis of a specific aspect of a topic. |
To find opinion on popular topics and for entertainment.
|
To find current information about an event, local and global issues, people, places at the time of publication. To access opinion or arguments through the Editorial section. |
| Examples | Journal of the American Medical Association, Journal of Nursing Science, etc. | Time, Smithsonian, The Atlantic, etc. | The New York Times, Chicago Tribute, etc. |
How to search articles? Watch the clips below for examples!
EBSCO, Gale Cengage, and ProQuest provide access to most of the databases available to CCC. Click here for a list of CCC Library Databases organized by subject with descriptions.
Academic Search Premier (EBSCOHost)
Gale Virtual Reference Online (Gale)
Opposing Viewpoints in Context (Gale)