LibGuides: Research 101: Exploring Source Types

Exploring Source Types

Before you can effectively gather information to make a decision or solve a problem, consider the type of information you need. Do you need to locate academic research and analysis or news reports? Will primary materials or secondary sources better serve your needs? Will library databases or the open have what you are looking for?

This section will cover the different source types that will help you make informed decisions and back up claims.

Online Library Sources

How do online library sources differ from sources found using Google? Think of online library sources like shows on Netflix or HBO Go. These sources are located on the Web, but if you want access to them, you need to pay or subscribe to the service. In other words, the content is online, but it's hidden behind a paywall. Until you pay, access is denied. This is true for shows in Netlflix, and it's true for online articles and ebooks in library databases.

Here's the good news: The library subscribes to around 75 databases, such as Academic Search Complete and JSTOR, which you have free access to as an FC student. Off campus, you will simply need to log in with your ID number and your last name. A multitude of books, journals, magazines, newspapers, and more await you. Go forth and explore!

Print Library Sources

The library also has print materials that you can search for online (using the library catalog or OneSearch), but you will need to check out print sources in person from the library. Currently, you can borrow print books using our curbside pickup service.

FC Library and Free Online Sources by Type

Browse databases by source type below or by subject using the Fullerton College Library Databases (A-Z) page. Search most of these databases at once with OneSearch on the homepage.

Academic, Scholarly, or Peer-Reviewed Journals

Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window Full-text coverage in Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Physics, Psychology, Religion & Theology, and more subjects; abstract & indexed journals; full text journals.
America: History and Life with Full Text This link opens in a new window America: History & Life with Full Text is the definitive database of literature covering the history and culture of the United States and Canada, from prehistory to the present. With selective selective indexing for 1,700 journals from 1955 to present, this database is without question the most important bibliographic reference tool for students and scholars of U.S. and Canadian history. America: History & Life with Full Text also provides full-text coverage of more than 200 journals and nearly 100 books.
Communication & Mass Media Complete Communication & Mass Media Complete provides the most robust, quality research solution in areas related to communication and mass media. CMMC incorporates the content of CommSearch (formerly produced by the National Communication Association) and Mass Media Articles Index (formerly produced by Penn State) along with numerous other journals in communication, mass media, and other closely-related fields of study to create a research and reference resource of unprecedented scope and depth encompassing the breadth of the communication discipline. CMMC offers cover-to-cover (“core”) indexing and abstracts for more than 570 journals, and selected (“priority”) coverage of nearly 200 more, for a combined coverage of more than 770 titles. Furthermore, this database includes full text for over 450 journals.
Environment Complete Environment Complete contains nearly 4 million records from more than 2,200 domestic and international titles going back to 1888 (including over 1,350 active core titles) as well as more than 190 monographs. The database also contains full text for more than 1,200 journals.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window JSTOR includes over one thousand leading academic journals across the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, as well as select monographs and other materials valuable for academic work. Collections include the Arts & Sciences as well as the Life Sciences.
Political Science Complete Political Science Complete is an extensive full-text collection and index to political science literature. It includes online full-text for 500+ academic journals in political science and related fields. It also provides cover to cover indexing for a total of 1,000 political science journals and selective coverage for an additional 1,000 journals in related fields. It also includes a collection of some 340 reference and other political science e-books. In this way, Political Science Complete forms the perfect in-depth complement to the broader coverage found in our current PAIS database.
PsycARTICLES This link opens in a new window PsycARTICLES® is a robust database offering complete access to the full text of more than 100 landmark journals in behavioral science and related fields ranging from education, to nursing, to business, to neuroscience.
Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection This link opens in a new window Full text coverage for nearly 400 journals covering topics including psychology, addiction studies, anthropology, and child development.
Science Online/AAAS This link opens in a new window The online version of Science magazine includes access to the most recently published, award-winning news content and high-impact, peer-reviewed research. Science online is accessed by several million viewers worldwide who download more than 24 million full-text articles per year.

Databases with Academic/Scholarly Journals (Full List)

Books

Catalog of Books Search the catalog of books available @ FC Library!

eBook Academic Collection This link opens in a new window This growing subscription package contains a large selection of multidisciplinary eBook titles representing a broad range of academic subject matter, and is a strong complement for any academic collection. The breadth of information available through this package ensures that users will have access to information relevant to their research needs.
eBook Central College Complete This link opens in a new window Provides unlimited access to more than 40,000 eBooks in a range of subject areas, including: business; computer science; career guidance; vocational education; liberal arts; and health.
eBook Collection This link opens in a new window Search and view the full text of eBooks.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window Containing encyclopedias and specialized reference sources, Gale eBooks assists with research over a number of disciplines.

Magazines and Newspapers

CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window The CQ Researcher is the award-winning choice of researchers seeking original, comprehensive reporting and analysis on issues in the news. Controversial topics addressed in a balanced, unbiased manner in the CQ tradition. Look for detailed analyses of current social issues, targeting controversial or "hot" topics. *Not included in OneSearch
MasterFILE Complete This link opens in a new window This multidisciplinary database provides full text for more than 2,000 general reference publications with full text information dating as far back as 1922. Covering virtually every subject area of general interest, MasterFILE Complete also contains full text for more than 1,000 reference books and over 164,400 primary source documents, as well as an Image Collection of over 502,000 photos, maps & flags.
Newspaper Source Plus This link opens in a new window Newspaper Source Plus includes more than 860 full-text newspapers, providing more than 35 million full-text articles. In addition, the database features more than 857,000 television and radio news transcripts.
Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window Nexis Uni™ features more than 15,000 news, business and legal sources from LexisNexis® - including U.S. Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1790. *Not included in OneSearch
U.S. Major Dailies This link opens in a new window US Major Dailies provides access to the five most respected US national and regional newspapers, including The New York Times and Washington Post, co-exclusive access to The Wall Street Journal, and exclusive access to Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune. The titles offer researchers thorough and timely coverage of local, regional, and world events with journalistic balance and perspective. The content is available by 8am each day and provides archives stretching as far back as 1985. *Not included in OneSearch

Primary Sources/Archive

African American Historical Serials Collection This link opens in a new window Collection documents the history of African American life and religious organizations from materials published between 1829 and 1922. With >170 periodicals, annuals, and reports, its 60,000+ pages represent a centralized and accessible resource of formerly fragmentary, widely-dispersed and endangered materials—titles were collected from 75 institutions, including small institutions that had not previously participated in preservation projects.

Arte Público Hispanic Historical Collection Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage Project from which the collections draws its content, is the largest national project ever to locate, preserve and disseminate Hispanic culture of the United States in its written form since colonial times until 1960. Series 1 presents a digital collection of historical content pertaining to U.S. Hispanic history, literature and culture. Series 2 focuses on Hispanic American civil rights, religion and women’s rights from the 18th through the 20th century. Content is written, indexed and searchable in Spanish and English.

Atlantic Magazine Archive This link opens in a new window The Atlantic Magazine Archive contains indexing, abstracting and full text for the complete archive (including Covers and advertisements) of this leading monthly magazine beginning in November 1857 and ending April 2014.
California Digital Newspaper Collection This link opens in a new window The California Digital Newspaper Collection contains over 1,500,000 pages of significant historical California newspapers published from 1846-present, including the first California newspaper, the Californian, and the first daily California newspaper, the Daily Alta California. It also contains issues of several current California newspapers that are part of a project to preserve and provide access to contemporary papers. *Not included in OneSearch

Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers Search America's newspapers from 1789-1963.
Ebony Magazine Archive
Historical Periodicals Collection (EBSCO) Collections cover titles from 1691-1877 from the American Antiquarian Society.

History Makers This link opens in a new window The HistoryMakers, established in 1999, is a non-profit institution whose purpose is to record, preserve and disseminate the content of video oral history interviews highlighting the accomplishments of individual African Americans and African-American-led groups and movements. Its aim is to provide a unique scholarly and educational resource for exploring African American history and culture. It is unique among collections of African American heritage because of its large and varied scope, with interviewees from across the United States, from a variety of fields, and with memories stretching from the 1890s to the present. Rather than focus on one particular part of a person’s life or a single subject, such as a career or participation in the civil rights movement, the interviews are life oral histories covering the person’s entire span of memories as well as his or her own family’s oral history.

US News Map Search over eleven million newspaper pages between 1789 and 1922 and visualize results across space and time.
Library Catalog
Include "primary documents" [see example] or "primary sources" [see example] as search terms

Reference Sources

Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window Containing encyclopedias and specialized reference sources, Gale eBooks assists with research over a number of disciplines.
Literary Reference Center Plus Detailed information on the most studied authors and their works - from antiquity to present day.
Points of View Reference Center Contains many core topics, each with an overview (objective background / description), point (argument), and counterpoint (opposing argument).
Science Reference Center This link opens in a new window Science Reference Center is a comprehensive research database that provides easy access to a multitude of full text science-oriented content. This database contains full text for nearly 640 science encyclopedias, reference books, periodicals, etc. Topics covered include: biology, chemistry, earth & space science, environmental science, health & medicine, history of science, life science, physics, science & society, science as inquiry, scientists, technology and wildlife.

Statistics

Equity Mapping Tools - Advanced OC The Orange County Equity Map displays this data for all 580 neighborhood census tracts as well as CDC population health and US Census demographic data for the county. The interactive platform provides a simple way to investigate disparities at the county, city, and neighborhood levels in an easy-to-understand format.
Statista This link opens in a new window A comprehensive statistics database covering 80.000 topics from over 18.000 sources. Includes statistics on topics related to media, business, finance, politics, and a wide variety of other areas of interest. *Not included in OneSearch

Streaming Videos

Films on Demand: Archival Films & Newsreels Collection This link opens in a new window Thousands of historically significant videos from 1919-1968, such as the Hindenburg explosion, the moon landing, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech and much more.
From Films on Demand
Films on Demand: Master Academic & CTE Collections This link opens in a new window Streaming videos covering dozens of subject areas including Education, Arts, Business, Sciences, and much more. Now includes thousands of films in CTE subjects!
Kanopy This link opens in a new window Kanopy is a streaming video resource with a broad collection of over 26,000 films on every subject imaginable and from leading producers such as Criterion Collection, The Great Courses, New Day Films, HBO California Newsreel, and more. *Not included in OneSearch
Swank Digital Campus This link opens in a new window Streaming video collection of feature films from major Hollywood studios. Provides streaming access to over 250 commercial feature-length motion pictures from mostly U.S-based studios. Swank is the world's largest non-theatrical distributor of motion pictures for public performance, providing licensed access to films from MGM, Sony, Paramount, LionsGate, United Artists, Miramax and more. *Not included in OneSearch

Accessing Library Databases

One

From the library homepage, search almost all databases at once with OneSearch.

After submitting a search, you will be prompted to log in with your MyGateway username and password for full-text access. Look for the yellow bar at the top of the window.

Two

Select the Databases tab to search a single database.

You will need to log in with your MyGateway username and password before you can search single databases.

Fullerton College Library

Research 101: Exploring Source Types

Exploring Source Types

FC Library and Free Online Sources by Type

Accessing Library Databases

One

Two

LLRISPS