How do I know what databases to use for my topic?

Some article databases provide general coverage of many subject areas. Others concentrate on a single discipline or sub-field. For example,

ProQuest or Infotrac OneFile have broad subject coverage, but little depth on any given topic. They can be good starting points if you're just looking for a few articles.

Specialized databases such as Sociological Abstracts or PsycINFO provide in-depth, scholarly coverage of a single discipline.

To find a good specialized database, check out the Subject pulldowns on the Articles and Databases page. For each broad subject (e.g. Art, Biology, Communication Studies, etc.) a few Key Databases will be highlighted.

Be sure to try more than one of the Key Databases, since different databases cover different journals and may have subtly different strengths. The [info] link beside each database will tell you a bit about what it includes.
 

What about Full Text Resources?

The Full Text Resource! note means that the database has some complete articles in it, unlike other sources which may only have citations (i.e., information on where the articles were published.)

Does Full Text make the database your best first choice?

Perhaps - if your paper is due tomorrow! However, many databases without this note will link to online articles. And for many topics, the best information will be found in a mix of online and print.
 

What if I'm not looking for articles?