This document provides an introduction to databases and how to search them. It defines databases as online containers that hold a variety of academic materials like journal articles and peer-reviewed papers. It describes two types of databases - open access databases that are freely available and closed access databases that require institutional access. It highlights some key library databases and their benefits over sources like Google Scholar or Google for finding reliable scholarly information. It provides guidance on searching databases, including using keywords, Boolean operators, subject headings from thesauruses, and tips for developing effective search strategies.

1. Introduction to
Databases
NCAD Library Guide

2. What are Databases
Giant online containers that hold a huge variety of
materials:
● Journal Articles
● Case Studies
● Reviews
● Analyses
● & Peer Reviewed Articles

3. Types of Databases
● Open access refers to the practice of making peer-
reviewed scholarly research and literature freely
available online to anyone interested in reading it.
https://doaj.org/
● Closed access refers to articles or journals which
appear in non-open access databases are only visible
to people at institutions which have a licence for this
specific content / resource https://www.jstor.org/

4. Library Databases
● Reliable - peer-reviewed
● Scholarly - Academic
● Better search results
● Full Articles available
● Reference and Citation software
Google Scholar
● Not always Reliable - not peer-reviewed
● Not always Scholarly - Academic
● Poor Search Functions
Google
● Not Reliable - not peer-reviewed
● Anyone can put anything there!

5. NCAD Library Databases
There are 8
Databases on the
library website
Website: https://capitadiscovery.co.uk/ncad/home

6. Databases: https://capitadiscovery.co.uk/ncad/
Primary and secondary sources
● Art & Architecture Source
● JSTOR
● Taylor & Francis Online
● Berg Fashion Library
● Material Connexion (Materials Database)
● Artstor (Image Library)
Tertiary sources
● ARTbibliographies Modern
● Design & Applied Arts Index
● Full Text Finder

7. How to search a database – Keyword
search and Subject Heading search.
• A Keyword search looks for your own search words in the article title & abstract by the
author.
A keyword search will find articles where a word will be mentioned but may not necessarily
be the Main Topic of the paper.

8. Boolean Commands for Keywords
Search Strategies: Boolean Commands for Keywords
- What words MUST be included in the search? What words MIGHT be included in the
search? What words SHOULD NOT be included in the search?

9. Topic: How Contemporary photography has
been used to explore gender and sexuality
● Keywords:
Photography+ Gender + Sexuality
● Artists: Nan Goldin, Suzy Lake, Cindy
Sherman
Thesaurus
● Gender = Feminine, Non - Binary,
Masculine, gender-specific
● Sexuality= Orientation, LGBTQI+

10. Nan Goldin + Gender + Sexuality
Keywords
Info Type
Source
Type

11. Search by Subject Heading
• A Subject Heading search uses terms from a thesaurus of Subject Headings in the
database and will find articles where the search terms are the main topic of the paper.
Subject Headings are added to each record by database staff who determine the main
topic of the paper.
Each database has a thesaurus: click on the database thesaurus and type in your keyword
and you will get a list of relevant Subject Headings
Examples: “Gender role in Art”
“Identity in Art”
“Gender stereotypes in art”

12. Subject
Headings

13. Subject
Headings
Keywords
Journals
Books
Etc
Subject
Headings

14. Exercise: 5 mins
http://www.open.ac.uk/libraryservices/beingdigita
l/objects/101/index.htm

15. Good luck!
If you need any help or advice contact
Maeve or Tom at the Library in NCAD
Maeve McElligott
mcelligottm@staff.ncad.ie
Tom Maher
mahert@staff.ncad.ie