Databases: In library language, this primarily refers to electronic indexes that will allow you to find magazine, journal, or newspaper articles. There are full-text databases that include the entire magazine/journal/newspaper article and non-full-text databases that include only citation information (author, title of article, title of magazine, volume number, issue number, issue date, and page numbers) and sometimes an abstract (summary.) PCT subscribes to many different databases. See "List of Databases" below. With each database listed, there is a description that will indicate what the database covers and whether it will identify magazine, journal, or newspaper articles. If the database is a full-text database or partially full-text, it will contain complete articles in it. If it’s not a full-text or partially full-text database, it will only provide citation and usually summary information. This is called a non full-text database. As of now, Penn College subscribes to 192 different databases. Our "A-Z Databases" list can be searched as well as filtered by vendor (ProQuest, for example) or by 44 broad subjects. Match your topic with the category that fits it best and examine only the databases in that list. If you do have a specific database in mind, just click on the index letter it begins with.
Market and consumer data and all things statistics. Downloadable data, numbers, and facts in various formats on various topics and industries.
Once upon a time, instead of databases, magazine and newspaper articles were found by using print indexes. Look at the excerpt provided at the link below. After you have done this, notice the braces on the excerpt page. These are highlighting “See” and “See Also” references. “See” references give you the correct term(s) to search. Under Automobiles —Accessories, for example, you will notice the correct terms to use to find information on this topic. Those terms are Automobiles—Equipment. "Automobiles" is a major subject, with the subdivision "Equipment". “See Also” references give more specific topics to search than the major subject above them. Notice the “See Also” references under the major heading Automobiles. Can you see how these topics are more specific than Automobiles? (And can you see how much easier it is to use databases?)
We must include two databases specific to the automotive field, even though they don't have magazine articles. They contain a lot of valuable technical data.
For automotive diagnostic and repair. Available for on-campus student use only. Faculty may contact their librarian for off-campus use.
Provides online access to repair, maintenance and service information on popular cars, trucks, vans and SUVs. Ford, Chrysler, GM, Honda, Toyota and numerous other makes are represented. Photos, illustrations, and repair procedures help to simplify tasks.
Research on virtually any technical topic, including: computing science; healthcare; building trades; auto mechanics; sales and retail; accounting; graphic design; and photography.
Simplifies browsing through Gale's publications and documents in one platform.
Search the majority of our ProQuest databases at one time. Subjects include the arts, business, health & medicine, history, literature, science & technology, and social sciences.
Let's return to the Library home page so that you can search for some magazine articles.
On the library homepage, click on "View Databases" in the "Articles and More" box. Click on the letter "P" in the alphabetical list below "A-Z Databases" and scroll down to select "ProQuest" from the list. ProQuest is one of the many full-text databases Madigan Library subscribes to.
Do a search to find a link to an article about or related to your topic. Select an article and click on "Cite" to the right above the article; select "APA" and look over the resulting citation.
Go back to the library homepage, and click on "View Databases" in the "Articles and More" box.
Select either "Academic Search Complete" or "Gale eBooks" and repeat the ProQuest search. Select an article from your search results and use the citation tools in the database. Once again, look at an "APA" citation.
On to the Internet!