Use the slideshow below to learn about turning a research question into a search sentence - something the database will understand. You can enlarge the slideshow to see it in full screen.
Fitchburg State subscribes to over a hundred different databases on subjects for every part of the curriculum. If you're not sure what database to use, ask a librarian via chat or in person. Here is a short list of some of the broader, multi-disciplinary databases available - a good place to start most searches.
When we think of "finding an article" we often think of newspapers or magazines. But there are several kinds of articles your assignments might require:
News - From newspapers reporting daily events (New York Times)
Magazine - Often called "popular" articles, these are general or for a specific interest (Time, Discover)
Trade - By and for specific industries (Advertising Age)
Scholarly - Reporting research, written by and for scholars and researchers (American Journal of Psychology)
See the chart at right for more information on how to tell if an article is scholarly or popular.