Research Guides: COMM111 Hughes: Get articles and more: Library databases

Library databases - your academic search engines

Search for resources on your topic in these databases. In these databases you will find the free, full text of encyclopedias for background research, articles that compare/contrast controversial topics, newspapers, magazines, and peer-reviewed journals.

Academic OneFile (Gale) This link opens in a new window
Academic OneFile offers newspaper, magazine, trade journal, and peer-reviewed journal articles, as well as eBooks, videos and podcasts. Many articles are available in full-text. Subject coverage is comprehensive and includes the physical sciences, technology, medicine, social sciences, the arts, theology, and literature. It’s a great place to look for resources when you’re not sure where to start.
How to search Academic OneFile
Academic Search Complete (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Academic Search Complete provides magazine, trade journal, and peer-reviewed journal articles on a wide range of subjects and is good for research on almost every topic. Most articles are available in full-text. It’s a great place to look for scholarly resources when you’re not sure where to start.
How to search Academic Search Complete
Gale eBooks / Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL) This link opens in a new window
Gale eBooks contains full text online reference books on the subjects of art, business, education, environment, history, medicine, multicultural studies, religion, science, and social science. Gale eBooks is a great place to start your research - it is the academic version of Wikipedia!
How to search Gale eBooks

A-Z Databases
Not finding what you need? See a full menu of scholarly databases offered through CCC Library. Search all subjects, or filter by your preferred subject area.

No full text? No problem!

If you find an awesome article in a database and CCC Library does not have the full text, get it for free anyway! Fill out the Interlibrary Loan request form, linked below, and CCC Library will email you the article in a couple days.

Interlibrary Loan Request Form
Fill out this form to request an article, book chapter, or book from another library. Questions? Contact Jorge Avila Ayala, 503-594-6323.

Streaming scholarly videos

Academic Video Online (AVON) by Alexander Street Press This link opens in a new window
International Films? Silents? Documentaries? Performances? Academic Video Online is a comprehensive streaming video library that offers complementary coverage of academic subjects (business, counseling, mental health, nursing, film, music, education, dentistry, and history, to name a few) to our Films on Demand subscription. Access provided by Orbis Cascade Alliance.
Films on Demand This link opens in a new window
Films on Demand (FoD) offers thousands of streaming videos online - it’s like an academic version of Netflix! Subjects include art, biology, careers & job searching, criminal justice, CTE, history, mathematics, science, technology, and world languages.
How to search Films on Demand

Search strategy overview - databases

Use these tips when you search in CCC Library databases. Your search results will be more focused and relevant to your topic!

Use quotation marks around phrases and search terms to search for the words in the exact order you would like, instead of separately.
Use different search boxes for each different idea that makes up your overall topic.

Too Many Results?	Too Few Results?
Add in additional search terms. Limit to peer-reviewed journals. Limit by date. Limit by subject. Limit to items with full-text availability. Change the search box dropdown menu to "Abstract" or "Subject."	Verify that you spelled everything correctly. Erase unnecessary search terms. Try different search terms. Use the Boolean operator OR between search terms. Remove any limits you may have added to an earlier search. Change the search box dropdown menu to "All Text" or "Entire Document."

Need help with too many or too few results? Call, email, chat with, or stop by and see a librarian!