Research Guides: General Research Guide: Home

Getting Started

Welcome! This general research guide is a starting point for many research projects across different disciplines. For more subject guides and discipline-specific resources, check out the complete list of Subject Guides for your subject area.

ZSR Librarians create these guides and are available to provide research assistance. We can help you with refining a research topic, finding data or information, using databases effectively, and other library-related needs. Contact your ZSR Librarian with questions and to get personalized help with your research.

Databases to Help You Develop Your Research Topic

CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Contains reports and analysis on issues in the news including health, social trends and issues, criminal justice, education, the environment, technology, and the economy. Great resource for background information on current news, hot topics, and social issues. Coverage back to 1923. Coverage: 1991-
Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints This link opens in a new window
This comprehensive multidisciplinary database delivers credible facts and current insight into today's most debated political and social issues. Contains periodical content that covers current events, news and commentary, pro/con viewpoints, reference articles, interactive maps, infographics, and more.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Search across hundreds of subject encyclopedias and other reference works. A great place to find background information on almost any research topic. Includes a topic finder for help with narrowing or broadening your research topic. Coverage: varies

General Research Databases

Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window
Provides access to journals covering the social sciences, humanities, education, and more. Good general-purpose database for researching most topics. Coverage: 1985-
ProQuest Central This link opens in a new window
Indexes and provides full-text access to scholarly journals, newspapers, magazines, dissertations, working papers, and market reports across all major subject areas.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
A full-text database of archived issues of academic journals. Since JSTOR is a backfiles project, a typical coverage range is the beginning of a journal until three or five years ago. Supported in part by the Dail Endowment Fund. Coverage: Varies

For Instructors

Faculty & instructors, if you would like a custom research guide for your class, or information about scheduling a research instruction session, please contact your ZSR Library liaison.

General Research Guide

Getting Started

Databases to Help You Develop Your Research Topic

General Research Databases

More from ZSR

For Instructors