Digital materials are those that can be accessed by computers. Some of them are "born-digital," or originated in a digital form (for example, pictures taken with a digital camera, web pages, twitter feeds, etc.), others were converted into digital files.
Please remember that information you need for your research purpose may NOT be available in a digital format. Online search tools may point you to sources in print, on film or microforms, etc. In some instances you may need to use non-digital research tools, such as print indexes.
Did you know that when you use Internet search engines, you reach ONLY 5% of the content available on the Internet?
The infographic below demonstrates this very well.
Image source: Welcome to The Deep & Dark Web. Go to What is the Deep and Dark Web? to learn more and navigate safely.
Note that many scholarly articles and other resources required for your assignments are below the surface!
The information below points you to the best tools for finding quality digital resources in UC Libraries and on the Internet.
At UC Libraries
Access to a body of well over 8,000 University of Cincinnati electronic dissertations and theses, this is the best link to the broadest collection of electronic UC dissertations. The time period covers mainly from 1955 to the present. To acquire the dissertations electronically, users request the full text from UMI (ProQuest) and are sent a link and a password to access the dissertation. Dissertations from 1997 forward are available in the OhioLINK ETD at ETD (Electronic Theses and Dissertations). Coverage: 1955 to present
ProQuest Dissertations and Theses: Global (PQDTGlobal) is the world's most comprehensive collection of full-text dissertations and theses. As the official digital dissertations archive for the Library of Congress and as the database of record for graduate research, PQDTGlobal includes millions of searchable citations to dissertations and theses from 1861 to the present day together with over a million full-text dissertations that are available for download in PDF format. Over 2.1 million titles are available for purchase as printed copies. The database offers full text for most of the dissertations added since 1997 and strong retrospective full-text coverage for older graduate works. It also includes PQDT UK & Ireland content. Coverage: 1861 - present
On the Public Web
At UC Libraries
Use the Summon metasearch tool, under "Content type" in your results under "Refine your search" click on "eBook Full Text Online."
On the Public Web
Sites listed below provide free access only to part of the content. Some sites allow only previews, not the entire content.
At UC Libraries
On the Public Web
At UC Libraries
On the Public Web
Links to sources of Public Domain/Creative Commons images in the Copyright FAQ Guide
At UC Libraries
Browse or search E-journals (all UC Libraries subscriptions, including journals, magazines, and newspapers).
Library databases and the Summon metasearch tool allow you to limit your search to journals/journal articles or academic/scholarly/peer-reviewed journals:
Academic Search Complete, designed specifically for academic institutions includes more than 5,300 full-text periodicals, including 4,400 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 9,300 journals and a total of 10,900 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc. This scholarly collection offers full text coverage of information in many areas of academic study including: archaeology, area studies, astronomy, biology, chemistry, civil engineering, electrical engineering, ethnic & multicultural studies, food science & technology, general science, geography, geology, law, mathematics, mechanical engineering, music, physics, psychology, religion & theology, women's studies, and other fields. Academic Search Complete offers critical information from many sources unique to this massive collection. The database features PDF content going back as far as 1865, with the majority of full text titles in native (searchable) PDF format. Searchable cited references are provided for 1,000 journals.
Coverage: 1865 - present
One of the most comprehensive databases available through the ProQuest online system¸ Research Library provides access to full-text journals across a wide range of subject areas¸ including business¸ education¸ literature¸ political science¸ and psychology. The database can be customized to meet the specific needs of many different types of libraries and information centers.Coverage: 1971 - present
Some databases, including the ones below, feature only academic journals.
Refer to Research Guides for primary journal databases or journal titles in your subject area.
JSTOR is a digital library of academic content in many formats and disciplines. The collections include top peer-reviewed scholarly journals as well as respected literary journals, academic monographs, research reports from trusted institutes, and diverse primary sources. Explore the visual side of JSTOR, including artwork, newspapers, manuscripts, photographs, and other artifacts contributed by libraries, museums, archives, and historical societies around the world
On the Public Web
Many publishers charge for online content, which may be available free through library subscription.
Be careful with articles found on the Web - they may be incomplete or altered or you may not be looking at the final published version.
At UC Libraries
Library databases and the Summon metasearch tool allow you to post-limit your search to magazines/magazine articles:
Academic Search Complete, designed specifically for academic institutions includes more than 5,300 full-text periodicals, including 4,400 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 9,300 journals and a total of 10,900 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc. This scholarly collection offers full text coverage of information in many areas of academic study including: archaeology, area studies, astronomy, biology, chemistry, civil engineering, electrical engineering, ethnic & multicultural studies, food science & technology, general science, geography, geology, law, mathematics, mechanical engineering, music, physics, psychology, religion & theology, women's studies, and other fields. Academic Search Complete offers critical information from many sources unique to this massive collection. The database features PDF content going back as far as 1865, with the majority of full text titles in native (searchable) PDF format. Searchable cited references are provided for 1,000 journals.
Coverage: 1865 - present
One of the most comprehensive databases available through the ProQuest online system¸ Research Library provides access to full-text journals across a wide range of subject areas¸ including business¸ education¸ literature¸ political science¸ and psychology. The database can be customized to meet the specific needs of many different types of libraries and information centers.Coverage: 1971 - present
On the Public Web
Most magazine sites provide free access only to part of the content.
Be careful with articles found on the Web - they may be incomplete or altered.
At UC Libraries
See our Newspapers Online Guide for links to premium newspaper databases.
On the Public Web
Many newspaper sites provide free access only to part of the content.
Free historical newspapers sites
While working on a computer it's easy to forget that people are a very important source of information. An expert may be sitting right next to you or next door.
In a digital environment it may also be more effective to go directly to en expert rather than continuing to search and sift through myriad of results. Identify experts and decide how to contact them: through social media, by phone, email, etc.
Tools and techniques for idenifying experts
At UC Libraries
On the Public Web
Links to sources of Public Domain/Creative Commons music and sound in the Copyright FAQ Guide.
At UC Libraries
To find DVDs in the UC Libraries collection use the catalog Keyword search. Click on the View the Entire ollection" box and from the scroll-down menu select "Videos, Films and Slides."
Tip: use "television programs" as one of your search terms, for example:
"once upon a time" and "television programs."
On the Public Web
On the Public Web
At UC Libraries
To find DVDs in the UC Libraries collection use the catalog Keyword search. Scroll down and under "Sound recording" select "DVD."
Alternatively, use "videorecording" as one of you search terms, for example:
gender and videorecording
Streaming video
Summon search results for streaming video.
To search for a specific video in Summon, enter the search criteria and click on "Streaming Video" under "Content Type" in the left-hand pane.
Selected library databases with video content (see all databases with video)
On the Public Web
At UC Libraries
Many Research Guides provide links to authoritative reliable websites in various subject areas.
On the Public Web
After you leave college and won't have access to library databases, Google will be your best friend. Follow the links below to learn how to make the most of it:
