• Explore relevant databases for different types of questions.
• Identify the most appropriate databases for your question.

For some projects, an informal round of searching may be enough to locate appropriate, relevant information.

For comprehensive literature reviews and projects requiring transparent, reproducible methods, it is important to establish a protocol in which you identify databases to search and develop a formal search strategy.

Subject-specific databases ingest and index scholarly literature within a predetermined subject area.

Citation indexes are:

• Multidisciplinary citation databases
• Tools that allow you to analyze search results by time, institution, geography, funder, etc.
• Author & citation-driven databases, allowing readers and researchers insight into citation trends

When should you search one?

• Your research question doesn’t fit into a neat, disciplinary box
• You’re interested in understanding publication trends (highest cited, etc.)
• You’d like to track specific authors and/or institutions
• You’re searching for conference abstracts in addition to full-length journal articles

Grey literature is defined as that “which is produced on all levels of government, academics, business and industry in print and electronic formats, but which is not controlled by commercial publishers” (Luxembourg Convention)