The Management-focused databases listed in the next column are recommended starting points for your research. They are not the only options, though, so if you're not finding what you need, explore the complete list of databases in the A-Z Database List or ask a Librarian!
Databases contain many different types of resources such as:
It is important to be able to tell the differences between these resources as well as know which resources are appropriate for your research. Check out the table on the Good vs. Bad Sources tab to learn the differences between some of these resources.
We recognize students are often more comfortable searching on the web vs. using the databases. While that is an option, as a researcher, you need to know that you are not getting a complete view of resources available to you when you only search the open web. That's because of paywalls - we pay for access to the databases and that is where the bulk of academic literature is housed - and that can't be accessed through search tools such as Google.
However, Google Scholar is a search tool you can use to find academic articles. Scholar indexes scholarly, peer-reviewed articles, but note that many are not available full-text. We have a few steps in place to aid you with gaining access to full-text articles if you search in Google Scholar.
1) access Scholar through the library's A-Z Database list. That Scholar link is tied back to SMSU's McFarland Library; the general Google Scholar link isn't.
2) Use the LibKey Nomad extension. Adding the LibKey Nomad extension to your browser will link you back to full-text articles SMSU has access to in our databases. .
So knowing that the article might be full-text in the database or you could interlibrary loan a copy, you'd never purchase an article, right?