How to use CD-ROMs and other databases

What are electronic databases?

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An electronic database is an organised list of published information sources (usually journal articles), either giving directions (a citation) to where you can find the full information or containing the information itself (full-text databases).

Each information source has an individual record. Each record is made up of fields. Each field contains a different piece of information about the source. The database searches for information contained in these fields.

Databases do not all function in the same way, but the same basic skills and knowledge will allow you to use most databases.