Research Skills for Architecture, Design & Planning Essentials Plan research Analyse topic Find books Find journals Find articles Search databases Search the Internet Evaluate Write & present Cite & reference Quick links Ask A Librarian Document Delivery and Interlibrary loans EndNote X1 Architecture Library Off-Campus Access Faculty of Architecture, Design & Planning University access only MyUni WebCT WriteSite

Research Skills for Architecture, Design & Planning

Search databases

Library databases are electronic indexes to the research literature. These bibliographic databases are the best tool for finding articles within journals.

Bibliographic databases:

• enable you to search for detailed information on specific subjects
• include references to articles from journals, newspapers, conference proceedings
• may also include abstracts and citations for books, reports, theses, patents and other published and unpublished materials
• link directly to the full text for each article, or to our Library catalogue holdings
• include materials that may or may not be held at University of Sydney Libraries

These databases can be:

• multidisciplinary, such as Expanded Academic ASAP, ProQuest 5000, Web of Knowledge and Factiva
• subject-specific, such as Avery, Arch, INSPEC and GEOBASE

Use databases to find what has been written on a particular subject, and where it is located.

Use the Library catalogue to find the location of a journal - on the Library shelf or online.

Select databases for your topic

All databases are listed the Library's web site. These databases are selected according to teaching and research at this university.

• Go to: Electronic Resources - databases
• Select: Databases by Subject

Starting points for research in the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning

Architectural & Design Science
• About: Databases for Architecture & Architectural Science
• Search: Architecture Databases
Design Computing & Cognition
• About: Databases for Design Computing & Cognition
• Search: Information Technologies Databases
Urban & Regional Planning and Policy
• About: Databases for Urban & Regional Planning and Policy
• Search: Urban Planning Databases

Related databases for interdisciplinary research

Teaching and research in the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning often requires literature searches across other disciplines. Valuable material is often found in unexpected places. For a comprehensive literature review, other subject databases may also be useful.
Examples include:

Art History and Theory
Economics
Engineering
Environmental Science
Film Studies
Government Subject Databases
Project Management
Sociology and Social Policy
Work and Organisational Studies

Next - starting points for your research

• About: Databases for Architecture & Architectural Science
• About: Databases for Design Computing & Cognition
• About: Databases for Urban & Regional Planning and Policy

Go deeper

• Brief Introduction to Database Searching
• Databases for advanced research
• About off-campus access

More help - Ask A Librarian