Subject Specific Databases
A general purpose database such as the Library's Discovery Search might overwhelm you with too many resources that can be difficult to narrow down if you are not entirely familiar with the terminology associated with your topic, or have not yet developed a fully formulated research question. Alternatively, if you are past the beginning stages of your knowledge on the topic or are overwhelmed by the results in Discovery Search, you may need to research using materials directly related to your research question.
In those cases, it may be preferable to use a subject-specific database rather than the Library's Discovery Search.
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Discovery Search vs. Individual Databases
- Discovery Search: The Harrisburg University Library provides access more than 100 research databases. The Discovery Search is a tool that allows you to search many (though not all) of these database at the same time. It's a good place to start when you are not familiar with your topic or when your topic crosses two or more disciplines.
- Individual Databases: Allows you to select only those databases most likely to contain material directly relevant to your topic. Use an individual database when you have a refined research question and some experience researching your topic. Using a subject specific database normally reduces your results considerably, and will also return material that is directly related to the discipline you are researching. Some databases are not included in the Discovery Search.
| Discovery Search | Individual Databases | |
| Searches many databases at once |  |
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| Likely to produce many results | |
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| Likely to produce fewer results | |
|
| Researches topics across many disciplines/subjects | |
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| Researches only specific disciplines/subjects | |
How to Select Individual Databases
Go to the A-Z Databases List. You will see an alphabetical list of all the available databases. From there, you can select a database in a number of ways.
By Title
If you know the name of the database you want to search, scroll down or click on the first letter of the title to move down the list. If a letter is gray, it means no databases begin with that title.
Click images to enlarge.
By Subject
If you want to browsing for databases that covers your topic, change the "All Subjects" drop down menu to select your program. The list will narrow to databases specific to that program.
By Material Type
If you are looking for certain types of material, such as news or primary sources, change the "All Database Types" drop down to the type of material you are seeking.
