Subject databases: Where less is more
Oberlin provides access to hundreds of subject databases, which you can access through our Databases A-Z.
Searching with Summon, our cross-platform tool, will typically produce a high number of total results, many of which may not be highly relevant to your research.
Searching in a subject database specific to your topic will typically produce fewer results, but of those results, a much greater percentage will be highly relevant to your research.
Note: To find databases relevant to your research, you can filter the Databases A-Z by Subject (e.g., Law, Legistlation & Public Policy), by the Type of content available in the database (e.g., News & Newspapers), or by the Vendor (e.g., ProQuest; EBSCO).
Databases
The databases highlighted below might be of particular use for assignments in this course:
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Multidisciplinary - good for nearly all subjects. Scholarly and trade journals, popular magazines, newspapers, conference proceedings, book reviews, and more.
- Communication & Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new window
Scholarly journal and trade magazine articles on all aspects of communication, rhetoric, journalism, film and television studies.
- iPoll Search (1935 to date) This link opens in a new windowComprehensive source for US nationwide public opinion as measured by academic, media and commercial survey organizations. Data is available at the question-level. Dates of coverage: 1935 -
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowScholarly journal archive for the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences; current issues (usually the last 2-5 years) are not digitized by JSTOR and may be obtained elsewhere.
- Newspaper Source This link opens in a new window
Newspaper Source provides full text for hundreds of national, regional (U.S.), and international newspapers, as well as full-text television, radio, and news transcripts.
- PAIS Index (Public Affairs Information Service) This link opens in a new windowCovers all aspects of U.S. public policy and international affairs. Includes references to journal articles, books, government documents, grey literature, research reports and documents by NGOs, conference papers, and statistical reports. Dates of Coverage: 1915 to date
- Points of View Reference Source This link opens in a new window
Full-text database designed to provide students with a series of essays that present multiple sides of a current issue. The database provides 250 topics, each with an overview (objective background/description), point (argument), counterpoint (opposing argument), and Critical Thinking Guide. The database also offers guides to debate, developing arguments, and writing position papers.
Proxied access: Databases A-Z
Note: Throughout this research guide, there are links to databases that may be useful for your research; many of these resources require an Oberlin IP address for access.
All of the links in our Databases A-Z (and all of the links in this guide) will pass off-campus connections through a proxy server as necessary. This server is managed by the libraries, and hosted at ezproxy.oberlin.edu; the server authenticates users using either library credentials or single sign-on, and provides off-campus connections with an Oberlin IP address.
When you are working from off-campus, remember to access subject databases using Databases A-Z!