Skip to Main Content

IB Topics Research and Historical Thinking Concepts: Databases

Reference Databases

These databases are ENCYCLOPEDIAS, similar to textbooks, with definitions and overviews.  They offer reliable information, but not scholarly information.  Use these as a starting point to gain general background information, but move on quickly from these resources to more advanced and scholarly sources.  Access the passwords for these databases here.

NOTE:  These databases also contain primary sources.

General Databases

These databases consist of mostly news articles published by reporters and a few scholarly articles.  Access the passwords for these databases here.

  • ProQuest - this database includes periodicals and scholarly journals.  To ensure retrieval of scholarly, select "peer reviewed."
  • EBSCO - this database also includes scholarly journals in addition to periodicals.

Scholarly Databases

These databases contain peer-reviewed articles published by researchers. Check out this Anatomy of a Scholarly Article to understand what a scholarly journal article looks like.  Access the passwords for these databases here.