Once you have an idea for your topic, it's time to use the library databases to find sources. Library databases are the tools that will help you find scholarly conversations.
The databases below are multidisciplinary databases, which means that the resources in these databases cross many subjects. They are a good starting place. If you want to look at subject-specific databases, which go deeply into one subject, use the list of subject guides at the bottom of this page to find your subject, and then click into the guide to find the most useful databases for your topics.
Access research guides to learn which are the best resources for a particular subject. Use the list below, or access through the Research Guides link on the library website's homepage.
Google Scholar is another resource to find scholarly articles. Google Scholar does not have search features like a library database, but it covers a breadth of resources.
In addition, the "cited by" feature is very useful in following a conversation. The "cited by" link indicates how many subsequent articles cited a source and can give an idea of the significance of the article in the field. Clicking on the "cited by" link may also help you find relevant sources.
Google can be useful for finding credible sources, especially on government or university websites. Use the Google tip sheet below to learn how to use Google better to find what you need.