Finding Credible Sources
Finding the right articles for your research purposes can be pretty intimidating. That's why we've pulled together some recommended library databases for you to use to jumpstart the research process. Library resources are ideal (and often required) for college research because librarians go through the process of vetting and cultivating all kinds of high quality sources specifically for you to use for your classes. This way, you don't have to wonder if the sources you find meet high-quality threshold required for college-level research and you can access them without running into any paywalls.
Take a look through the recommended resources on this page to see which databases might be the best fit for your assignment/topic. If you have any questions, come into the library or contact a librarian via email, chat, phone call, or text.
NOTE: If you want to access these resources off-campus, make sure you are logged in to MyJeffco in the same browser you'll be using for your research.
Reference Databases
Reference sources are sources that provide factual information about a topic, like encyclopedias, dictionaries, manuals, guidebooks, and more. Use these resources as a starting place. These reference sources are not appropriate sources to cite in your paper, but they are a good way to gain a fundamental understanding of a topic. Doing so will help you discover useful search terms and to have a solid jumping-off point for the rest of your research. You can also use the read features on Britannica Online to make sure you are pronouncing difficult terms correctly.
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Britannica Online This link opens in a new windowCombines Encyclopædia Britannica and Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus, periodicals, atlas, world data, the Classics, biographies, news, and multimedia.
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CredoWith regular updates, this Collection includes 3 million entries from notable subject encyclopedias, handbooks, guides, companions and readers covering over 80 major subject disciplines and more than 6 million research concepts. In addition to full-text content, the Academic Core Collection provides access to more than 1,000 videos and animations, as well as 500,000 contextual visual aids, images, photographs and maps.
General Databases
If you don't know where to start but you know you need scholarly journal articles, here are a few general databases worth checking out:
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Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowAcademic Search Complete offers an enormous collection of full-text journals, providing users access to critical information from many sources unique to this database. In addition, it includes peer-reviewed full text for STEM research, as well as for the social sciences and humanities. Scholarly content covers a broad range of important areas of academic study, including anthropology, engineering, law, sciences and more.
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JSTOR This link opens in a new windowJSTOR consists entirely of scholarly journal articles from titles in various disciplines. Topics include: archeology, art & art history, Asian studies, biology, botany, business, ecology, economics, education, history, language & literature, law, music, psychology, political science, sociology, and more.
Contemporary & Controversial Issues Databases
These are excellent databases to use for gaining a more comprehensive, unbiased understanding of current and/or widely discussed topics. Many of these databases will provide you with important background information and multiple opinions/perspectives of an issue.
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SIRS Issues Researcher This link opens in a new windowContains information on controversial topics of current interest. Provides topic overviews, links, full-text popular sources, multimedia, and websites that are carefully selected from thousands of domestic and international sources.
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Opposing Viewpoints in Context This link opens in a new windowFind pro and con viewpoint articles on controversial topics. Includes periodical articles along with thousands of podcasts.
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Issues & ControversiesUpdated weekly, with an extensive back-file, Issues & Controversies offers in-depth articles—each presenting both sides of an issue clearly, coherently, and without bias—made to inspire thought-provoking debates.
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CQ Researcher This link opens in a new windowWeekly reports offer in-depth, unbiased coverage of pressing political or social issues including health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy. Originally created as a means to inform government elected officials about important topics. Covers 1923-present.
Discovery @ Jefferson College Library
Want to cast the widest net possible to find sources for your assignment? Use the Library's new search tool, Discovery, to search through dozens of different databases all at the same time. To learn more about using Discovery, navigate to the Discovery @ the Library tab or click here.