What is the difference between a popular and a scholarly source?
If you are not familiar with scholarly publications, it can be difficult to tell the difference between scholarly and popular periodicals. There are no definitive rules for distinguishing between the two, but here are some guidelines:
Scholarly (e.g., academic journals):
- Are written by professionals within an academic field or discipline.
- Contain research projects, methodology, and theory.
- Have few, if any, advertisements.
- Use college-level or specialized vocabulary of the discipline.
- Include articles with extensive bibliographies, footnotes, or other documentation.
- Contain graphics that are often black & white and consist of tables, charts, and diagrams.
- Are peer-reviewed or refereed.
Popular (e.g., magazines, newspapers):
- Are written by journalists.
- Contain general news articles written to inform, update, or introduce a new issue.
- Have many full-color, full-page advertisements.
- Use a general, non-technical vocabulary.
- Include articles with little or no documentation.
- Contain graphics that are often full-color pictures and illustrations.
Why Use A Database?
Search a database to find journal, magazine, or newspaper articles. Some databases also provide access to other materials such as dissertations, book chapters, books, sound recordings, videos, etc.
Some databases have the full text or abstracts (summaries) of articles, if not, use one of these three ways to figure out if the library has the journal.
Multi-Subject Databases
These databases cover NAS and other disciplines.
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Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive, multidisciplinary database covering social sciences, humanities, education, physical and life sciences, and ethnic studies with access to more than 7,000 peer reviewed journals and over 75,000 videos from the Associated Press.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online print or video tutorial.
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JSTOR This link opens in a new window
This database is a digitized archive of the backfiles of selected scholarly journals. Provides access to materials in African American studies, anthropology, Asian studies, ecology, economics, education, finance, general science, history, literature, mathematics, philosophy, political science, population studies, sociology, and statistics.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online tutorial.
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Project Muse This link opens in a new window
Access journals covering the humanities, social sciences, and mathematics.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online tutorial.
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ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global This link opens in a new window
Coverage: 1861-present
Indexes U.S. doctoral dissertations completed at accredited institutions since 1861 and dissertations and theses, most with abstracts, from the U.K. and Ireland since 1716. This database includes some dissertations from Canada and Europe, as well as some master's theses and foreign language dissertations. Most OU dissertations are full text through summer 2013; after that date, find OU dissertations in SHAREOK. Most dissertations from other institutions, 1997 to present, are full text. To obtain full-text pre-1997 dissertations, use the interlibrary loan.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online tutorial.
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Web of Science This link opens in a new window
Coverage: 1900-present
Multidisciplinary index covering leading scholarly journals in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Includes the Web of Science core collection and the following databases: Biological Abstracts, BIOSIS Citation Index, BIOSIS Previews, Current Contents Connect, Grants Index, KCI-Korean Journal Database, MEDLINE, Preprint Citation Index, ProQuest Dissertation and Theses Citation Index, SciELO Citation Index, and Zoological Record. Some full text is available.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online tutorial.
Databases
This page lists the major databases for
Native American Studies
These are the major databases for finding articles and other materials related to Native American Studies.
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American Indians and the American West (1809-1971; Proquest History Vault)The database contains a large variety of collections from the U.S. National Archives, a series of collections from the Chicago History Museum, as well as selected first-hand accounts on Indian Wars and westward migration.
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American Indian Histories and CulturesFour centuries of history, from early contact to the modern era, are featured in this resource. Coverage includes peoples of North and Central America; materials include manuscripts, illustrations, newspapers, books, photos and maps. Cross-searchable with the American West database.
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American Indian Law Collection (HeinOnline)Provides full-text access to over 800 primary and secondary titles relating to American Indian law. This collection includes treaties, federal statutes and regulations, federal case law, and tribal codes, constitutions and jurisprudence. This library also features rare compilations edited by Felix S. Cohen.
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Anthropology PlusProvides access to Anthropological Literature and Anthropological Index. Covers the fields of anthropology, archaeology, art history, demography, economics, psychology, and religious studies. Materials indexed include journal articles, book series, reports, commentaries, obituaries, and the complete contents of Anthropological Literature: An Index to Periodical Articles and Essays.
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Bibliography of Indigenous Peoples in North America (Ebsco)Formerly Bibliography of Native North Americans (BNNA). Native North American history, life, and culture. References to journal articles, books, essays, conference papers, dissertations, U.S. government documents.
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Early Encounters in North AmericaFull text of letters, diaries, memoirs, and accounts of early encounters with Native Americans; dates vary.
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Ethnic Newswatch (Proquest)American and international minority and native press. Full text of newspapers, magazines, and journals.
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Indigenous Peoples: North America, Parts 1 and 2Includes correspondence, pamphlets, draft legislation, manuscripts, monographs, newspapers, photographs, motion pictures, images of artwork, the papers of Indian Rights Association founder Herbert Welsh and more.
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Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts1973 - present. Covers all aspects of the study of language including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics. Complete coverage is also given to various fields of linguistics including descriptive, historical, comparative, theoretical and geographical linguistics.
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Native Health DatabaseReferences and abstracts of health-related articles, reports, surveys, and other resource documents pertaining to the health and health care of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Canadian First Nations. The database provides information for the benefit, use, and education of organizations and individuals with an interest in health-related issues, programs, and initiatives regarding North American indigenous peoples.
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North American Indian Thought and CultureIncludes full text of Doris Duke Indian Oral History project (1967-1972), also available here:http://digital.libraries.ou.edu/whc/duke/.
Other Relevant Databases
These databases provide access to material in various subject areas that have proven useful to NAS students in the past. Think about your topic, and decide which subject database, below, may cover it.
Other subjects, and links to relevant databases, are listed here: https://guides.ou.edu/az/eresources and research guides here: http://guides.ou.edu.
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America: History and Life This link opens in a new window
Coverage: 1910-present
Covers the history and culture of the United States and Canada from prehistoric times to the present, including topics in the social sciences and humanities. Materials indexed include journals articles, book reviews, media reviews, and dissertations.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online print or video tutorial.
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Art Index This link opens in a new window
Coverage: 1984-present
Includes materials on traditional art, art history, archaeology, architecture, fashion design, interior design, visual art, folk art, film, and non-western art. Materials indexed include journal articles, yearbooks, and museum bulletins. Includes multi-lingual material.
Fore more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online print or video tutorial.
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Art Index Retrospective This link opens in a new window
Coverage: 1929-1984
This bibliographic database indexes scholarly literature regarding fine, decorative, and commercial art. It includes over 600 indexed publications and over 25,000 indexed book reviews. Subjects covered include art history, folk art, motion pictures, pottery, textiles, photography, non-western art, painting, archaeology, and more.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's print or video tutorial.
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ATLA Religion Database This link opens in a new window
Coverage: 1949-present
This database covers topics in biblical studies, world religions, church history, and religion in social issues. Materials indexed includes citations to journal articles, book reviews, and collections of essays. The ATLA Religion Database includes ALTASerials, an online collection of religion and theology journals, which provides some full text access.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online print or video tutorial.
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ERIC This link opens in a new window
Coverage: 1966-present
An online library of education research, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. Materials indexed include journal articles and research reports (ERIC Documents). Some full text is available.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online tutorial or the University of Oklahoma Libraries' tutorial.
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HeinOnline This link opens in a new window
Provides access to a comprehensive, image-based collection of legal periodicals. Each journal in the database begins from its inception. Also includes access to code of federal regulations, legal classics, treaties and agreements, U.S. Attorney General opinions, U.S. Federal Legislative History, U.S. Presidential Library, U.S. statutes at large, and the U.S. Supreme Court Library.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online tutorial.
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Music Index This link opens in a new window
Coverage: 1970-present
International index covering music periodicals with a broad range of subject matters. Materials indexed include historiographic, ethnographic, and musicological data, reviews, obituaries, news, book reviews, tapes, and performances.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online print or video tutorial.
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PAIS Index This link opens in a new window
Coverage: 1915-1976
Index to public and social policy issues, foreign and domestic. Materials indexed include journal articles, government documents, books, pamphlets, yearbooks, and directories.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online tutorial.
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ProQuest One Business This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive business and economics database with global coverage featuring thousands of full text journals, working papers, dissertations, videos, wire feeds, market research reports, and newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online tutorial.
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PsycINFO This link opens in a new window
Coverage: 1887-present
Covers psychology and related disciplines in the behavioral sciences. Materials indexed include journals, book chapters, books, and dissertations. Some full text is available.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online tutorial
