Access
USAFE reference databases can be accessed from a computer using either a Milnet login or a library card issued by a USAFE library. To access the databases or to find out more visit USAFE Information Databases.
Features
Library databases feature information from newspapers, magazines, encyclopedias, journals and dictionaries. The available information is frequently updated and dates of publication are provided. The databases are searchable by a variety of criteria, making it easier to find what you are looking for.
Finding What You're Looking For
Library databases are powerful tools, but it can be hard to know where to start. To help you out we've put together a guide that groups all the database and journal search engines into categories. Check it out (.pdf).
Quality Information
Library databases differ from websites. In the databases you can find content that has been fact checked by academic communities. This is useful for research purposes. Remember, though, no matter where you are gathering information always ask questions about its validity and usefulness. Here are a couple of things to ask yourself when evaluating a source of information:
- How recent is the information, and when was it last updated?
- Is it easy to find the information you need?
- How reliable is the information, and are the facts accurate?
- How easy is the work to cite in a bibliography? Does it give you the author, title, publisher, and date?
- How useful is it when you don’t know where to start?
- How easily can the work provide languages other than English?
Any source, whether a library database or website, can have good information. It is necessary to think critically about all information that you read or view.