What is a database?
A database is a searchable collection of electronic documents. UMW subscribes to over 200 different databases.
Databases hold different types of documents. Most of the documents in the UMW databases are academic journal articles, but the databases also contain magazine articles, newspaper articles, and many other types of documents.
Following citations
Most of the sources you find will include lists of citations (a.k.a. bibliographies). Think of these citations as low-tech hyperlinks -- they point you to other sources on the same topic. Follow those links! When you look at all the sources as a whole, they form an interlinked network of information. Your job is to explore that network and see what else is out there.
If you've found a good book or article, and you'd like to find newer sources that cite that particular book or article, type the title into Google Scholar. Then, on the results page, click "Cited by."
Academic journal articles
Use these databases to find academic journal articles about hardboiled detective fiction. See also the English guide and the Literary Criticism guide.
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JSTORUse the Advanced Search, and check either the "Article" box (to find journal articles) or the "Review" box (to find book reviews).
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Literature Resource CenterIncludes a second database called "MLA International Bibliography." Results from this second database are in a separate tab on the search results screen.
Newspaper articles
See also the Newspaper Articles guide.
Book reviews
To find book reviews, use the resources on the library's Book Reviews guide.
