database

(noun)

A collection of (usually) organized information in a regular structure, usually but not necessarily in a machine-readable format accessible by a computer.

Related Terms

(noun)

A collection of (typically) organized information in a regular structure, usually but not necessarily in a machine-readable format accessible by a computer.

Related Terms

Examples of database in the following topics:

  • Scholarly Sources

    • Popular scholarly databases include JStor, Project Muse, the MLA International Bibliography, Academic Search Premier, and ProQuest.
    • These databases do charge a fee to view articles, but most universities will pay for students to view the articles free of charge.
    • Ask a librarian at your college about the databases to which they offer access.
    • Most journals will allow you to access electronic copies of articles if you find them through a database.
    • If an article is listed in a database but can't be downloaded to your computer, write down the citation anyway.

  • Abstract

    • Additionally, the abstract of an article may be the only part that is available through electronic databases, published in conference proceedings, or read by a professional journal referee.

  • Choosing Search Terms for Sources

    • Once you have your research topic and you know which databases you want to search for articles, you need to determine the best way to go about searching.

  • Organizing Your Research Plan

    • If you are looking for specific kinds of data, like images or graphs, you might want to find a database dedicated to that sort of source.

  • The Importance of Reliability

    • To avoid using information that comes from an unreliable source, stick to scholarly databases.