Using Databases

Basics

You can access databases from the database page or any other place links or search boxes are made available.

A database is a collection of organized information. Academic Search Premier is an example of a database. The UM Libraries provide access to many databases, some full-text and others bibliographic. Full-text databases contain complete works whereas bibliographic databases contain citations and/or abstracts. 

Choosing which databases to search

If you are looking for articles on general topics, you may want to use general databases like Academic Search Premier, LexisNexis Academic, or JSTOR. If you want to search subject specific database, then take a look at the subject listing on the database page.

Printing and saving articles from databases

Many databases provide the option to print within the database; just look for the print icon. Using the in-database option will save you from printing unwanted and redundant pages. If there is no print option within the database, you can also use the print options available for your Internet browser.

Many databases also allow you to save articles. However, some databases may place restrictions on the number of articles you can save at one time.