Conquering Call Numbers!
I've got a call #, now what?
Click the link below for more information.
Finding Books, Articles, and More
Vanderbilt University Library Search
Selecting the best search scope for your research needs:
Everything vs. Library Catalog vs. Articles
| Search Scope | What is included? | When should I use it? |
| Everything |
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| Library Catalog |
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| Articles |
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For a more detailed explanation of your search scope options consult What am I searching?
Keyword vs. Subject Searching
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Step 1: Start your search process by brainstorming a list of keywords that describe the main concepts of your topic or question. |
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Step 2: Use these keywords for your initial searches. Step 3: Use the Subject Heading links in the Library Catalog record to refine your search. |
General Databases
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowLarge and important archive for academic journals, books, and primary sources in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Many journals do not have current issues.
- Project MUSE This link opens in a new window
Digital humanities and social science scholarly journals from university presses and scholarly societies.
- ProQuest This link opens in a new window
Search all ProQuest databases simultaneously. Includes arts, humanities, social sciences, news, and science and technology.
Literary Databases
- Literature Criticism (Gale) This link opens in a new windowBiographical essays; critical essays or excerpts taken from books, magazines, literary reviews, newspapers, scholarly journals, and interviews with featured authors.
Includes ten publications: Contemporary Literary Criticism, Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism, Twentieth Century Literary Criticism, Poetry Criticism, Short Story Criticism, Drama Criticism, Classical and Medieval Literature Criticism, Shakespearean Criticism, Literature Criticism from 1400-1800, and Children's Literature Review. - Independent Voices This link opens in a new window
Alternative press journals, magazines, and newspapers covering feminists, dissident GIs, campus radicals, Native Americans, anti-war activists, Black Power advocates, Latinx, gays, lesbians, etc.
- MLA International Bibliography This link opens in a new window
Subject indexing of journals, books, proceedings, and dissertations in the areas of literature, language and linguistics, folklore, film, literary theory & criticism, dramatic arts, and the historical aspects of printing and publishing.
What is 
?
FindIt@VU provides direct links from a database citation to the fulltext of the article (if available) and other supporting resources.
An FAQ for FindIt@VU is also available.
Primary Source Databases
- Times Digital Archive (London Times) This link opens in a new window
Full images of the pages of The Times (London) including advertising, book reviews, letters to the editor, and obituaries as well as news articles.
- British Periodicals This link opens in a new windowPeriodicals from the late seventeenth century to the early twentieth. Literature, philosophy, history, science, the social sciences, music, art, drama, archaeology and architecture.
- 17th-18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers This link opens in a new windowEnglish news media from the 17th and 18th centuries: newspapers, pamphlets, and books gathered by the Reverend Charles Burney (1757-1817).
