We search in library databases using keywords, the most important words from our research question. When generating a list of keywords, we also want to think of broader keywords in case we need to expand our search and narrower keywords in case we need to limit our search.
Example: cable cars in Louisville
Need a refresher? Generating Keywords video
Library databases are a great place to find sources for your research, especially scholarly, peer-reviewed articles. These types of sources are expensive and the library pays to provide access to you. Databases also have tools to help you narrow your search and find the most relevant results for your topic.
The best place to get started finding scholarly sources, EBSCO Academic is a multidisciplinary database with scholarly articles from all disciplines.
Need a refresher on searching in EBSCO Academic? Finding Scholarly Sources video
Beyond EBSCO Academic, the library has hundreds of databases dedicated to specific disciplines. Find tons of subject-specific databases here.
Not having much luck in the databases? Google Scholar is a great place to search! You can also use more natural language instead of finding the perfect keywords. Just remember, not everything is free on Google Scholar!
Here's how to connect Google Scholar to the library so you can access articles.