LibGuides: Steely Library Research Guide: Starting your research

About this guide

This guide was created by expert librarians from Steely Library, to kickstart your general research, guiding you to recommended databases and other resources. Note: This guide is designed for general research. To view the other (more specific) subject guides that are available, see the full list of guides. This first page gives you starting points for research. If you want to know how to search more effectively, go to the 2nd page.

Databases

General Databases

The selected generalized databases are Steely Library approved and are your best bets for researching a variety of subject areas.

Academic Search Ultimate
This multidisciplinary database provides access to articles from over 18,000 journals, magazines, and reference sources across all subject areas. Coverage is primarily from 1980 to the present, with some older content.
ProQuest Central
ProQuest Central is the largest single periodical resource available, bringing together complete databases across all major subject areas, including Business, Health and Medical, Language and Literature, Social Sciences, Education, Science and Technology, as well as core titles in the Performing and Visual Arts, History, Religion, Philosophy, and includes thousands of full-text newspapers from around the world.
Google Scholar NKU
Google Scholar, when accessed via the Steely Library databases rather than just through a regular browser, will link users to any resources to which Steely Library subscribes, and will avoid paywalls. Coverage: Includes articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, and universities. Includes scholarly items from Google Books. Excludes magazine articles, book reviews, and editorials.

Specialized Databases

The selected specialized databases are Steely Library approved and are your best bets for researching more specific subject areas. Read the database descriptions to determine which will work best for your needs.

Web of Science
Citation database covering scholarly journal literature in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. Search interface allows cross-searching of BIOSIS Previews, Medline, Zoological Record, Web of Science Core Collection, and others. Results can be analyzed by document type, institution name, source title, and subject area.
JSTOR
Digitized, full-text versions of core scholarly journals across disciplines. While coverage of these journals goes back to the first issue, for most journals the most recent issues will be for 3-5 years ago.
CINAHL Ultimate
Full text for more than 2,000 English-language nursing and allied health journals and publications back to 1937. Includes access to health care books, nursing dissertations, selected conference proceedings, standards of practice, educational software, audiovisuals and book chapters, Evidence-Based Care Sheets, legal cases, clinical innovations, critical paths, drug records, research instruments and clinical trials.
Business Source Ultimate
Comprehensive business articles database covering more than 8,500 scholarly, professional, and trade periodicals in all areas of business. Includes books, case studies, Datamonitor company and industry profiles, conference proceedings, country reports (from CountryWatch, EIU, Icon International, and others), market research reports, SWOT analyses, profiles of the most-cited authors, and more. Sole electronic resource for full text Harvard Business Review and California Management Review.

Looking for other relevant databases? Check out our A-Z list

Research can be difficult. Need an extra boost?

Sign up for an appointment with a Steely Librarian. Together, we'll dig into your research and try to find what you're seeking.

W. Frank Steely Library

Steely Library Research Guide

Not sure where to go next?

About this guide

Databases

General Databases

Specialized Databases

Research can be difficult. Need an extra boost?