Databases are like digital filing cabinets for storing and organizing information. Check out the library's databases so you can access academic journals (think of a specialized magazine for scholars and researchers) and high quality academic articles. These are the types of sources your college instructors (and maybe future employers!) will expect you to use.
Here are some ACC Library databases that may be helpful to your ENGL 1301 assignment. Remember, you may be prompted to log in with your ACC eID after clicking on the links. To see the complete list of ACC Library Databases, click here.
Reference Article Databases - A good place to start when you are getting familiar with your topic. Encyclopedias are excellent for giving you foundational information.
Gale eBooks
Online collection of general and subject-specific encyclopedias on all major topic areas.
Magazines, Newspaper, Journal Article Databases- These databases contain periodicals which publish information in a series, or periodically (hence the name). Daily newspapers, monthly magazines and journals are all periodicals and the articles inside them are periodical articles. Check out the following databases to start researching your specific topic.
Academic Search Complete
Scholarly articles, news, and research on topics in most subject areas.
Academic OneFile (Gale)
Provides millions of articles from over 17,000 scholarly journals and other authoritative sources, including thousands of podcasts as well as videos.
JSTOR
Contains more than a thousand academic journals and over one million images, letters and other primary sources.
Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints
Articles with pro and con viewpoints from reference works, magazines, academic journals, newspapers, primary source documents, and government and organizational statistics.
The New York Times
All ACC faculty, students and staff have full access to The New York Times website. You must first register using your ACC email at Access NYTimes. More information can be found at The New York Times: Academic Pass Guide.
The Washington Post
Articles from 1987 to present
The Wall Street Journal
All ACC faculty, students and staff have unlimited access to WSJ.com, WSJ apps, podcasts, curated newsletters and more. You must first register using your ACC email at WSJ.com/AustinCC. More information can be found at The Wall Street Journal: Membership Program.
Try out searching in some of the library databases with the Finding Articles Tutorial.
The Archive of Early American Images
Maintained by Brown University, this archive will ultimately have around 6000 images dating from 1492-1825. Many of these images are from relatively obscure works and have not been reproduced until they were housed in this collection. While useful, keyword searches often require several attempts to find suitable images.
Black Loyalists in the American Revolution
As many as 30,000 escaped slaves fought for the British during the American Revolution in hopes of winning their freedom. This search-able site is sensibly organized and tells their story.
Classics of American Colonial History
Dinsmore Documentation has created a database of scholarly books and articles on American colonial history that, according to the creators, "appear to be of continuing interest." Currently, there are 22 source materials and the site is browseable by author or subject. Categories include African Americans and Slavery, Arts, Economics and Trade, Immigration from Europe, Law, Native Americans, Politics, Religion, and Wars.
Colonial Williamsburg
Online access to the world's largest living history museum. You might want to first go to the "Explore & Learn" link to learn about the different social and ethnic groups that lived in colonial Williamsburg.
Common Place: The Interactive Journal of Early American Life
Self described as a forum for bringing " together scholars, activists, journalists, filmmakers, teachers, and history buffs to discuss everything from politics to parlor manners." The features include "investigative reporting, primary research, and essays on methodological dilemmas and disciplinary divides." Reviews of recent scholarship and films are also included.
Founders Online
Features a digital collection of primary source documents from early American history.
Founding Fathers Info
Though geared toward younger students of the late colonial period and early republic, this site does has some useful links and information. An online version of the Federalist Papers is particularly valuable.
The Papers of John Jay
A searchable database of the papers of the first Chief Justice and two term governor of New York. There is a biographical essay and four background papers.
The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut 1636-1776
An initiative of the University of Connecticut Libraries and supported by the Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center, the site holds images of all fifteen volumes of the Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, 1636-1776. You may search the site through the A-Z subject index, by date, or by volume and page number.
Thomas Jefferson Digital Archive
Created by the Electronic Text Center and the University of Virginia, this site contains a comprehensive collection of the views of Jefferson arranged under 9000 titles relating to government, religious freedom, politics, morals, science, art, education etc. There is also a comprehensive annotated bibliography of writings about Jefferson and a collection of his papers and writings.
