Research guides: ARTS 140 Social Change and Social Development; ARTS 130: Social Justice and Social Development: Research and Resources

What is a research database?

A database is a collection of digital files that have been catalogued and professionally curated to a set of standards and peer-review. Note that Google Scholar for example, is NOT a research database; it is actually a web search engine.

Three common types of research databases, are

bibliographic databases, such as the library catalogue;
abstract databases (or citation indexes), such as Scopus or Web of Science;
and full-text databases, like JSTOR.

The most common digital items in databases are journal articles, however databases can also be dedicated to newspapers, government documents, and more. Databases are powerful research tools for accessing indexed journal articles and publications from scholars, professionals, and field experts. Choosing the correct database for your search is important, as a database can cover a wide variety of topics from psychology, education, clinical medicine, and more.

Using the Library

Find journal articles in the library catalogue (OMNI)
To get started, search the catalogue for full-text articles available through many of the Library's electronic subscriptions.
How to order an article through ILL (interlibrary loan)
University of Waterloo students, faculty, staff, and retirees may use interlibrary loan (ILL) to request materials from another library free of charge

Using Google Scholar from off-campus?
Connect your Google Scholar results to the University of Waterloo's Library collections

Suggested Databases

Academic Peer Reviewed Articles
Newspapers

The following databases are large enough that you will be able to find academic peer reviewed journal articles in the areas of social justice generally.

Scopus
Peer-reviewed literature from scientific journals, books and conference proceedings, covering the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities.
Coverage: 1966 - present
JSTOR
Provides access to back issues of journals in the humanities, social sciences, and physical sciences, many of which date from the 1800s.
Coverage: varies (excludes current 3 to 5 years)
Sociology collection
Index and full text databases covering sociology and social services.
Coverage: 1952 - present
PsycINFO
Articles, dissertations and book chapters in psychology and behavioral health.
Coverage: 1840 - present

The following databases will provide more specific content related to only some social justice topics

Black Studies Center
Contains historical and current material and analysis relating to African-Americans, Africans, and the wider African Diaspora.
Coverage: 1800s - present
Included are: *Schomburg Studies on the Black Experience in-depth essays examine interdisciplinary topics on the African experience throughout the Americas.

*International Index to Black Periodicals (IIBP) current and retrospective bibliographic citations and abstracts from scholarly journals and newsletters from the United States, Africa and the Caribbean, and full-text coverage of core Black Studies periodicals.

*The Chicago Defender the full text backfile, from 1910 to 1975, of the influential black newspaper The Chicago Defender.

*ProQuest Dissertations for Black Studies dissertations and Masters' theses examining a wide variety of topics and subject areas relating to Black Studies. Included are dissertations written between 1970 and 2004 at over 100 universities and colleges across the United States.

*Black Literature Index fiction, poetry and literary reviews published in 110 black periodicals and newspapers between 1827-1940.
Cite Black Authors
Search works of Black academics in a wide variety of fields. New submissions welcome.
Coverage:1990s - present
GenderWatch
Find research on a wide range of gender issues relating to women, men, two spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual (2SLGBTQ+). Topics include sexuality, religion, societal roles, feminism, masculinity, eating disorders, healthcare, and the workplace.
Coverage: 1970 - present
Indigenous Collection (Informit)
Multidisciplinary topics relating to Indigenous peoples from around the world. Includes journals, books, reports, and conference proceedings.
Coverage: 1920s - present

CBCA (Canadian Business & Current Affairs)
Full text of journal, magazine, and newspaper articles relating to business, culture, current events, education, language, agriculture, history, and politics in Canada.
Coverage: 1982 - present
Factiva
News, business magazines, trade journals, newsletters, and television and radio transcripts.
Coverage: 1970s - present. Varies by publication
Factiva forbids storing or using search results in research applications such as data mining or trend analysis.
Note: If you are at a public workstation you will be asked for your WatIAM (Quest) User ID and Password.
Globe and Mail, Canada's Heritage from 1844 [digital archive]
Search news, editorials, letters to the editor, obituaries, and birth and marriage announcements, historical photos, stock photos, and advertisements.
Coverage: 1844 - 4 years ago
Project Syndicate
"Op-eds" and other media/news stories from around the world. Search by keyword or browse by topic or author.
Coverage: 1990s - present
Some content has been translated into other languages including Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish.

APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network)
Find national news, APTN InFocus, APTN Investigates, APTN Documentaries, and more.

Indigenous Newspapers in North America (formerly American Indian Newspapers)
A collection of papers from Indigenous peoples in the United States and Canada.
Coverage: 1828 - 2016
Black Thought and Culture
Non-fiction works by leading African-Americans. Includes monographs, essays, articles, speeches, letters and interviews.
Coverage: 1700s - present
Independent Voices: an Open Access Collection of an Alternative Press
Periodicals by feminists, student radicals, Indigenous peoples, anti-war activists, Black rights advocates, two spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual (2SLGBTQ+) activists, extreme right-wing press, and more.
Coverage: 1950s - present