POLI 143: Democracy & Democracy Building (Curry)

Below is a list of recommended databases primarily for scholarly journal articles, although there are also opinion pieces of various types mixed in as well. They are international in scope, so you will find many articles in foreign languages.  You'd be VERY wise to read the database searching tips below the list. The databases are on two different platforms -- EBSCO and Proquest. The tips are platform specific. The list also includes links to the current and archived versions of the New York Times.

Titles are hotlinked to open another window and take you to the database. However, if that link doesn't work, you can get to the databases from the library's alphabetical list of databases: https://libguides.scu.edu/az.php

TIP ONE: Construct a logical Boolean search using TWO of the search boxes. In the top one put the name of the country you are researching. In the 2nd one put words or phrases representing some particular idea you want to read about. For example, if I wanted articles about demonstrations or protests in Hungary, I could do this:

TIP TWO: Don't forget about using the asterisk to pick up different word endings, e.g. protest, protesting, protesters. In this database, that is critical.

TIP THREE:  The Boolean OR is very important here. You are using two boxes because you have 2 ideas -- the country and the issue. Use the OR in one box because that idea can be represented by different words. And you can use a lot of ORs in one box. They expand!

TIP FOUR:  Don't forget to specify the years of publication you are interested in. Some of these databases have some pretty old things in them.

TIP FIVE:  Once you've done your search, click on the article titles (in blue) and scan the abstracts to see if you like them. If you do, and the fulltext is there, use the option to send it to yourself. You'll get the PDF as an attachment and you can have the database send you a formatted citation using the pulldown menu:

TIP SIX:  As you may recall, the Find It @ SCU  will get to the fulltext when it is not right there!

BONUS TIP:  As you review your search results, put them in a folder by clicking on the folder icon either below or in the right column, depending on how you are viewing your results. Then when you are finished reviewing, click on the folder icon in the bar at the very top of the screen. You can then send them to yourself as a group and even specify which format you want the citations to appear in. You'll also get a permanent link back to the individual records in the database.

This is a massive interdisciplinary database that includes articles from a very wide array of political science journals as well as magazines and newspapers with international coverage. In addition, this database will lead you to other types of information sources like books, chapters in books, reports, government documents, conference papers and so on. 

To search it well, and save yourself some grief, it would be a good idea to follow the tips I've outlined below!

TIP ONE: Put in DATE limiters for your search using the Publication Date pulldown options below the search boxes, like this:

TIP TWO: Select the various publication and document types you DO want to retrieve as well as the languages you are willing to read in the More search options area below that. For this assignment, to get all 3 types of articles, you would want to do this: 

TIP THREE: Now you are ready to start searching! Scroll back up to the search boxes. They are configured to suggest that you have TWO main ideas you wish to connect with the Boolean AND. One idea goes on the first row. The 2nd idea on the 2nd row. If one idea can be expressed using different words/phrases, separate those with the OR. You are looking for articles about a particular country, for one. So put that country in the top box. You could just browse articles on your country. However, if you have a 2nd idea you want covered in the article, use the box in the 2nd row to add words representing that idea. You need to be thoughtful about the words you use. For example, if I wanted articles about demonstrations or protests in a certain country, like Hungary, I would do this:

I use the * at the end of a root word to pick up variations, protest protesting protesters, critical in these databases! The OR is saying that the IDEA could be represented by different words. The AND is connecting my two main ideas.

To avoid getting a ridiculous number of results, including many barely relevant, you need to make one VERY IMPORTANT change using the pulldown menu to the right of the search boxes and change Anywhere to Anywhere except fulltext-NOFT, like this:

Then click 

TIP FOUR: As you scroll through your many results, some will have links to the Fulltext in HTML or PDF or both:. And, don't forget about the power of the Find-It-@-SCU-Libraries link to get the fulltext!

TIP FIVE: Don't trust the icons for  to decide for you if the article IS scholarly. They are not that accurate!

Happy Searching!  Please feel free to email me if you need help.