Let's try finding a subject-specific database and using it for our search.
As in the previous exercise, think about your answers to the questions below, and take notes if you'd like.
1. Think about the search terms you had the most success with in the last exercise. Use those again for this exercise.
2. Open the Library website and scroll down to the Start Your Research section (just below the Brandeis Library OneSearch search bar). Click on the Find Databases A-Z button.
3. Click on the All Subjects drop-down menu and look at the list of subjects. Choose the one that seems the most relevant to your research question. (If your question relates to more than one subject, you may choose to repeat this exercise using a different subject database later).
4. Look at the Best Bets in the yellow box at the top of the subject database list. These are a few of the databases that are most frequently used in the discipline you selected. Read the brief descriptions below each one and select one to try searching in.
(Hint: Look for a database that mentions journals or journal articles. Some databases focus on a particular type of resource, such as videos or newspapers).
5. Type your search terms into the database's search box with AND in between them (i.e. children AND consumerism).
6. Scroll through the first page of results. Do the article titles match what you were hoping to find? If not, can you adjust your search terms to better fit what you're looking for? (Hint: depending on the results you're seeing, try using more or less specific keywords from your list).
7. Does the database have any options to filter your results that might be useful for your topic? Try out a few to see what happens to your search results.
8. Look through the search results and identify one scholarly article that could potentially be relevant to your paper topic. Write down the article title, journal title, publication year, and at least one author's name so you can return to the article later.