Introduction
Academic Databases
There are numerous databases available to you which provide access to high-quality information you won't find on Google.
Most of the databases enable you to find full-text journal articles and references, but we also have newspaper, image and
media databases that you can use.
Access Using Summon
The fastest way to access databases is to search using Discovery
A-Z eResources List
In addition to using Discovery, you can browse our A-Z of eResources list of you want to access a particular database.
Go to A-Z List
Useful Databases
The following databases / journal collections will be useful for your area of study:
Construction Information Service (CIS)
- An important and HIGHLY useful service which gives you full text of British Standards, Guidance Notes, article and books in the fields of Construction, Civil Engineering, and Building Services. SPECIFY IT is also available giving access to trade literature
- CIS training guide
- Full-text articles from 1971 onwards
Structuring your Search
You can save yourself time by spending a few minutes planning how you want to search the databases before you begin.
Consider the following:
- Which database(s) to search
- Keywords- what will you search for?
- How to link the keywords together
- Will you apply any limits to your search? (date of publication, full-text, format)
For more information about searching, take a look at our Searching for Information page.
You can also look at our pages in the Assignment Toolkit related to searching for information.
Attribution
All images included in this guide are available from Upsplash through Creative Commons licensing CC-BY-2.0