The Ellen Clarke Bertrand Library

Comparative and Digital Humanities: Finding Scholarly Sources

Suggested Databases

Please keep in mind that these are just a few resources that you might find helpful for finding scholarly sources.

Because of the interdisciplinary nature of Comparative and Digital Humanities, the resources *you* find useful will vary from those that your classmates or those in other classes will find useful, and we have many (many!) databases that are more specialized and not listed here. Keep a critical eye, don't be afraid to ask Eloise, and try exploring the full list of our databases to learn/find more.

What is a "Library Database"?

A library database is a searchable collection of sources (or information *about* sources) that typically includes a high proportion of scholarly, peer-reviewed material. Libraries subscribe to databases so you, your classmates, and your professors can have easier access to high-quality information and scholarship to support your research and work.

What is a "Scholarly Source"?

A scholarly source is one that is produced by one or more credentialed academic experts in a relevant field of study (for instance a historian might write a book or create an interactive map of artifacts related to the history of Indigenous environmental activism and those would be scholarly sources, but that same historian might write a diet book about the importance of fermented foods for health and that wouldn't be a scholarly source.) 

Critically, a scholarly source usually goes through a process of "Peer review", which means that other academic experts in the field have closely evaluated the source, looking at it's claims, methods, and the research undertaken. This is a form of review that goes way beyond editing and way beyond the 'peer review sessions' you might have participated in in your classes.

These sources have been written and vetted by academic experts before they have been published. This means that they have a large amount of academic authority baked in but does not mean they are infallible or represent all possible truths or theories. During your time at Bucknell, you should use scholarly sources as the 'core' of your research, and eventually you should become comfortable enough with the subjects and methods to critique or critically evaluate these sources.  
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