Article Databases
The library subscribes to hundreds of databases, some covering multiple disciplines and some designed for finding research in specific disciplines. Suggestions for databases for some disciplines are listed. See the full A-Z list of databases or discipline-focused research guides for more options.
Starting Points
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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.
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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.
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Search.Libraries This link opens in a new window
Find books, journal articles, scores, audio, video, and more from a single integrated starting point.
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Music Index Online This link opens in a new windowMusic Index Online covers topics concerned with every aspect of the classical and popular world of music. Dates of coverage: 1979-present.
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RILM Full Text This link opens in a new windowComprehensive music bibliography providing international coverage of music literature. Dates of coverage: 1775 to the present.
- African American Periodicals (1825-1995) This link opens in a new window
More than 170 periodicals by and about African Americans, published in 26 states. Includes academic and political journals, commercial magazines, institutional newsletters, bulletins, annual reports and more.
- African Journals Online This link opens in a new window
Use African Journals OnLine (AJOL) to find articles written by scholars on the continent of Africa. Although there are not many articles on the art of Africa it is still an important place to check.
- Black Studies Center This link opens in a new window
Covers the Black experience from ancient Africa to the modern day from perspectives in history, literature, political science, sociology, philosophy, music, visual arts, and religion. Includes index to Black Literature (1827-1940), Black Studies Periodical Database, and the full text backfile (1910-2010) of the influential black newspaper The Chicago Defender.
- Oxford African American Studies Center This link opens in a new window
African American and African history and culture including biographies, topical entries, primary source documents with commentary, images, maps, charts, tables, and more.
Both scholarly and peer-reviewed articles are written by experts in academic or professional fields. Scholarly articles are published in journals for specific academic disciplines. Many scholarly journals are also peer-reviewed.
Peer-reviewed articles are submitted to reviewers who are experts in the field. Because the reviewers specialize in the same scholarly area as the author, they are considered the author’s peers (hence “peer review”).
Finding Full Text
Many databases on the library's website include the full text of articles. Click on the PDF or HTML icon to download the article.
If full text is not available, click the Find It or 360 Link icons to see if there is access from another source.
Look for 
displayed for each item in the library's databases. In Google Scholar, look for Find Full Text @ Oberlin. Access via publisher websites is generally limited to subscribers.
Full text is not always accessible for immediate download. The 360 Link may lead to an intermediary page offering access through Interlibrary loan. If you have trouble, consult the library staff.