Pfeiffer Library: Finding Background Information: Search Options

Find Library Materials

Are you looking for a specific database? Try our A to Z list.

Library Databases

These library provided databases are your best bets for general information! Again, make sure you know your university credentials to utilize these resources off-campus.

Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Index, abstracts, and full text for many scholarly publications covering all academic areas of study.
Electronic Journal Center This link opens in a new window
Covers a wide range of disciplines and contains just published scientific research as well as historical journal articles from more than 10,000 top scholarly publishers, academic societies, and university presses.
Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
Features more than 15,000 news, business and legal sources from LexisNexis®—including U.S. Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1790.

Also, here is a list of reference databases that may be helpful in starting your research.

Oxford English Dictionary This link opens in a new window
Historical dictionary of the English language.
Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia This link opens in a new window
Over 25,000 encyclopedic entries.
World Book Online This link opens in a new window
Contains access to Early Learning, World Book Kids, Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos (Spanish), World Book Student, World Book Advanced, Banco de Contenidos (Spanish), L'Enciclopedie Decouverte (French), and Timelines
Oxford Research Encyclopedias This link opens in a new window
Full access to all available encyclopedias in diverse topics such as business, communication, criminal justice, education, and psychology.

Web Resources

These free web resources may also prove useful.

Pew Research Center
A nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world.
American Fact Finder
Provides access to data about the United States, Puerto Rico and the Island Areas. The data in American FactFinder come from several censuses and surveys.
World Bank Open Data
Free and open access to data about development in countries around the globe.
British Library Digital Collection
The British Library website contains comprehensive information about the Library, the scope of its collections, and how to use its services. There is also a range of catalogues and digital content.
National Archives
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper. Of all documents and materials created in the course of business conducted by the United States Federal government, only 1%-3% are so important for legal or historical reasons that they are kept by us forever.
Bartleby Great Books Online
The preeminent internet publisher of literature, reference and verse providing students, researchers and the intellectually curious with unlimited access to books and information on the web, free of charge.
Artlex Art Dictionary
This site is for artists, collectors, students and educators in the areas of production, criticism, history, aesthetics, and education. It includes definitions with supporting images, quotations and cross-references. Includes an index to articles and short cuts to longer articles.

Creating Searches

Want to know more about doing research? Try this!

Research at Pfeiffer Library
Learn more about how to find, use, and evaluate sources at Pfeiffer Library.