Easy Search from the UIUC Library
Use the Easy Search or click on Advanced Search next to the Go button to select sources you would like to search. Click on "What am I Searching?" to see a list of sources included in each category. For history topics, try Multi-Subject Resources, Arts & Humanities (includes history databases) and/or Social Sciences. Results will include resources in many databases!
Online Reference Sources
- Credo ReferenceUse Credo Reference to search across 422 reference books including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and subject-specific resources.
- Gale Virtual Reference LibraryFull-text access to dozens of encyclopedias in all subject areas. Good selection of history encyclopedias!
- Britannica OnlineThe online version of your favorite all-encompassing general-knowledge encyclopedia.
Google Scholar
This service is Google's method of searching the invisible web. To see the full text of many of these sources, you need to be "authenticated" as a legitimate UIUC user. Do so by searching for the source title on the A-Z list of electronic journals and newspapers. Also try the advanced search.
Full-Text Databases
For those in the know, full-text means entire journal articles, so you get the whole story.
- America History & LifeIdentifies articles on U.S. and Canadian history. Includes magazine and journal articles, book reviews, dissertations, and media reviews. It an item you are interested in does not include the full text, click on the blue rectangular “Discover” link that connects you to full text that may be available through another one of our database services. Otherwise, find locations of periodicals in the University Library by going to the A-Z list of electronic journals and databases or using the online catalog to locate titles that are only available in print or on microform. For those searches, select “Start of Journal/Magazine Title” in the Classic Catalog.
Note the multiple search options that are available. It's a good idea to limit your search by publication type and language when starting out (unless you really want to read lots of dissertations and/or your Bulgarian/Russian/German is really, really good). - LexisNexisFull-text access to hundreds of recent (and even not-so-recent) newspaper and magazine articles. Search tip: put quotation marks around unique phrases. On the results page, notice that you can narrow your search by clicking on the categories in the left toolbar. Click on the plus sign to expand your options and click on the blue link to narrow your search.
- MLA International BibliographyFor those with a literature focus. This database indexes thousands of books and articles published on modern languages, literatures, folklore, and linguistics. Full-text provided for many of these items.
- Sociological Abstracts This link opens in a new windowIdentifies articles, conference papers, books and dissertations in sociology and related fields in social and behavioral sciences. Great database for research on historical events that have socio-cultural implications. Note: NOT a full-text database, but we can likely hunt down a desired article elsewhere.
- SocINDEX with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Alternate version: SocINDEX with Full Text in the classic EBSCO user interface (best for exporting more than 50 results or combining saved searches). SocINDEX with Full Text offers comprehensive coverage of sociology, encompassing all sub-disciplines and closely related areas of study. These include abortion, criminology & criminal justice, demography, ethnic & racial studies, gender studies, marriage & family, political sociology, religion, rural & urban sociology, social development, social psychology, social structure, social work, socio-cultural anthropology, sociological history, sociological research, sociological theory, substance abuse & other addictions, violence and many others.
- GenderWatch This link opens in a new windowGenderWatch is a full text database of unique and diverse publications that focus on how gender impacts a broad spectrum of subject areas. With its archival material, dating back to 1970 in some cases, GenderWatch is a repository of important historical perspectives on the evolution of the women's movement, men's studies, the transgendered community, and the changes in gender roles over the years. Publications include scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, regional publications, books, and NGO, government and special reports.
- Communication Source This link opens in a new window
Alternate version: Communication Source in the classic EBSCO user interface (best for exporting more than 50 results or combining saved searches). Offers information from over 600 journals in communication, mass media and related fields; includes abstracts, indexing, bibliographical citations and author profiles, as well as full text from more 240 titles.
- Film & Television Literature Index This link opens in a new window
Alternate version: Film & Television Literature Index in the classic EBSCO user interface (best for exporting more than 50 results or combining saved searches). Film & Television Literature Index is a comprehensive bibliographic database covering the entire spectrum of television and film writing. It has been designed for use by a diverse audience that includes film scholars, college students, and general viewers. Subject coverage includes film & television theory, preservation & restoration, writing, production, cinematography, technical aspects, and reviews--Database description screen.
Subject Guide
Other Databases
- Public Affairs Information ServiceIdentifies articles, books, websites, statistics, yearbooks, directories, conference proceedings, pamphlets, reports, government documents, and microfiches on political, social, public policy issues. Again, NOT full-text, but PAIS includes a huge amount of unique material. For best results, use the advanced search.
- Illinois HistoryIf your topic has anything to do with Illinois, check out this link
- JSTOR This link opens in a new window
This link opens in a new window
Older, full text articles from more than 100 journals in areas including African American studies, anthropology, business, economics, education, finance, history, literature, management, philosophy, political science, sociology. Most include full texts of complete journals from their inception up to a “moving wall,” which is a fixed period of time ranging, in most cases, from 2 to 5 years, that defines the gap between the most recently published issue and the date of the most recent issues available in JSTOR. The Library will, in many cases, have a separate subscription for the more recent issues. - Project Muse This link opens in a new windowSearches full-text in over 150 journals supplied by 10 university presses. Click on the search button to start your search. Muse works well for more recent periodical issues, while JSTOR (see above) reproduces older volumes.
