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Research Like a Pro: Academic Databases

The academic databases every journalism student needs for background research. Build credibility with peer-reviewed sources and hard data.

7 steps

1JSTOR

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2ProQuest Central

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3Web of Science

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4Web of Science

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5Sage Journals Online

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6Statista

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7IBISWorld

Search peer-reviewed journals

The most comprehensive academic database — find scholarly research to give your reporting depth and credibility.

💡 Pro tip: Use the 'Text Analyzer' feature: paste in your draft and JSTOR will suggest relevant academic sources.

Database$199/yr value

JSTOR

Research Databases

Access to scholarly journals, primarily in the humanities and social sciences. In addition to journal articles, users can access book chapters, ebooks, and primary source documents.

Access

Access dissertations and news archives

Combines academic journals, dissertations, newspapers, and working papers — one search covers multiple source types.

💡 Pro tip: Filter by 'Scholarly Journals' for peer-reviewed sources, or 'Newspapers' for media coverage of your topic.

Database$500/yr value

ProQuest Central

Research Databases

Large multidisciplinary database with over 11,000 titles (8,000+ in full text) covering 160+ subjects including business, economics, health, technology, social sciences, and more.

Access

Track citation networks

See who cited a study and who it cites — follow the citation trail to find the most influential research on any topic.

💡 Pro tip: Use 'Times Cited' to find the most-referenced papers in a field — these are the ones your professors know.

Database$2,000/yr value

Web of Science

Multidisciplinary

Cross-disciplinary citation database covering 21,000+ journals. Find the most-cited and influential papers on any topic. Track how research ideas spread through citation networks. Essential for serious academic research.

Access

Track citation networks

See who cited a study and who it cites — follow the citation trail to find the most influential research on any topic.

💡 Pro tip: Use 'Times Cited' to find the most-referenced papers in a field — these are the ones your professors know.

Database$2,000/yr value

Web of Science

Research Databases

Premier citation database covering 21,000+ journals across sciences, social sciences, and arts & humanities. Track citations, find influential papers, and discover research trends.

Access

Find social science research

Strong collection of social science, communications, and media studies journals — directly relevant to journalism topics.

💡 Pro tip: Search Sage for media studies and communication research to find academic perspectives on journalism itself.

Database$400/yr value

Sage Journals Online

Research Databases

Full-text access to 1,000+ academic journals from Sage Publications spanning social sciences, humanities, science, technology, and medicine.

Access

Get statistics and infographics

Over 1 million statistics, forecasts, and infographics on every topic — perfect for adding data to your stories.

💡 Pro tip: Statista sources its data from reputable organizations — always cite the original source, not Statista itself.

Database$2,388/yr value

Statista

Data & Statistics

Statistics, infographics, and market data on literally everything — from iPhone sales to avocado consumption to streaming subscriber counts. Beautiful, presentation-ready charts. Over 1 million statistics across 80,000+ topics.

Access

Research industry reports

Detailed industry analysis reports with market data, trends, and forecasts — essential for business and economic reporting.

💡 Pro tip: The 'Industry at a Glance' section gives you a quick overview with key stats you can cite in your story.

Database$4,000/yr value

IBISWorld

Company & Industry Data

Industry research reports that break down any industry in 30 minutes. Market size, competitive landscape, major players, trends, and forecasts. Covers 1,300+ US industries. Essential for case interviews and business plans.

Access