Library databases and even Google Scholar can feel very overwhelming. Each one works a little differently and there's a lot of little things to keep track of like how to search by date, how to select peer-review only, and so on. That said, it's important that you start familiarizing yourself with these platforms now.

Many students get overwhelmed and try to only do internet research using the CRAAP test because Google is more familiar to them. In the long run, though, they are spending far more time trying to find "good" sources and often get frustrated when they can't. While it will take a little longer to get comfortable with these databases and search engines, in the long run, you will find your research goes MUCH faster once you do. 

Below are videos and other resources to help with the various search methods and databases. 

Important Note: For any library database or journal, make sure you are going in through Macomb's library page so that you don't hit any paywalls. 

Getting Started

The following video will help you get started on how to access and use several search functions and databases through Macomb's library, such as the "everything" search, several of the library databases, and how to get to Google Scholar. 

Instructions on using Google Scholar can be found in another video below. 

Using JSTOR

Watch the following videos or go to the JSTOR guide for information on how to search JSTOR. 

Important Note: 

• Make sure to check that you are looking at an academic article; occasionally, news articles or editorial (opinion articles) from journals will slip in. You should see citations throughout the article and a works cited, reference page, or bibliography at the end of the article.