Researching properly means finding the right source for your question, and that takes more than one search box. Library catalogues, specialist databases and academic search engines each do a different job. If you combine them, you find reliable literature faster and guess less.
Short answer: Researching properly means finding the right source. Library catalogues show what your library holds. Specialist databases find journal articles and can be filtered by subject. Many full texts are available through your university, for example via DFG national licences. Last updated: October 2026. Database offers differ between universities.
The essentials at a glance
- Catalogues list books and media, while specialist databases mainly list articles.
- Access to licensed databases usually runs through the university network or a library account.
- Academic search engines suit a first overview but do not replace a specialist database.
- Document every search so you can repeat it and cite it in your work.
- Check every source for origin, currency and peer review before you cite it.
What is the difference between a catalogue and a database?
A library catalogue lists the holdings of a library. A specialist database indexes journal articles, conference papers and other publications from a field. Union catalogues combine the holdings of many libraries, and open access directories list freely available journals.
| Source type | What it finds | Typical access | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Library catalogue | Books, journals and media in the library collection | Through your university library | Finding, borrowing and reserving books |
| Union catalogue (for example GVK or KVK) | Holdings of many libraries | Freely accessible | Finding out where a work is held |
| Specialist database | Articles of one discipline | Often through university access | Targeted search for journal articles |
| Academic search engine (for example Google Scholar or BASE) | Scholarly documents from many sources | Free, sometimes linked to library access | First overview, finding citations |
| Open access directory (for example DOAJ) | Freely available journals | Free | Finding free full texts in a targeted way |
For a basic introduction to handling sources, see researching academic sources. For correct citation, see Zitieren leicht gemacht (in German).
How do you build a good search strategy?
A search works when you collect terms, add synonyms and narrow it down step by step. This order has proved useful:
- Formulate your research question in one sentence and mark the key terms.
- Search German and English terms, because many specialist articles appear only in English.
- Use quotation marks for phrases, filters for publication year and document type, and Boolean operators such as AND or OR.
- Start with a search engine for an overview, then move to the specialist database.
- For each search, note the search terms, the database and the date, so you can repeat it.
How do you get access to full texts?
Many academic articles sit behind a paywall. As a student you usually reach them through your university, in several ways:
- University access: the databases on your library’s list are often usable only inside the university network or via VPN.
- DFG national licences (Nationallizenzen): the German Research Foundation funds national licences that give participating institutions access to journals and databases (nationallizenzen.de).
- Interlibrary loan (Fernleihe): books or articles your library does not hold can be ordered through interlibrary loan. Each library sets its own costs and delivery time.
- Open access: freely available versions can be found through repositories such as BASE (base-search.net) or through Google Scholar.
Your library page shows which national licences apply to your subject. The offers differ between institutions.
How do you check whether a source is reliable?
Not every publication suits a scholarly piece of work. These questions help with the assessment:
- Who published the text? A publisher, a specialist journal or an organisation with clear responsibility?
- Was there peer review? This is usually stated on the journal page.
- Is the source current enough for your topic, or has the research moved on?
- Can the claim be confirmed in another source?
- Are the method, the data and the origin of the statements traceable?
In practice, many search results show only a title and an abstract. Check whether the full text is really available before you cite it. An abstract alone rarely supports a claim in your work. With specialist databases, it helps to sort the results by relevance and read the first pages carefully.
Which mistakes happen often?
- Search terms are too narrow, so relevant hits are excluded.
- Only one search engine is used, although the specialist database would return matching hits.
- A text is cited based on its title or summary without having been read.
- Sources are not documented, so the search cannot be repeated later.
How do you document your research?
Research you cannot reconstruct costs time later, when you search for sources for your bibliography or need to answer a question from your supervisor. A simple table is usually enough.
- For each database or catalogue, create a row with the date, the search terms and the number of hits.
- Save findings with complete details straight into a reference manager such as Zotero.
- Note for each source whether you have read it, and add a short assessment.
- Record which searches gave no usable hits, so that you do not ask the same questions again.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Scholar enough for a term paper?
It is often good for getting started, but usually not enough for a reliable literature search on its own. Google Scholar shows many hits, but it is not always clear which sources were fully searched. Combine it with the specialist database of your field and the library catalogue.
Do I have to pay for a database?
As a student, usually not, if your university has licensed it. Access runs through the university network or a library account. Without university access, freely available repositories and interlibrary loan can help.
How do I find the right specialist database?
Ask the subject librarian for your field. The Database Information System (DBIS) of the University of Regensburg lists databases by subject, and your library knows which licences your university holds.
How long should a search take?
There is no fixed rule. Plan the search as its own step and document it. When new hits are only repetitions, you have usually reached the end of the search. A time limit helps you avoid endless searching.
What to do next
- Ask your library which databases are licensed for your subject.
- Formulate your research question and collect search terms in two languages.
- Search the catalogue, the specialist database and a search engine, and document every search.
- Check each source for origin, currency and peer review before you cite it.
Related guides
- Researching academic sources: finding and evaluating them
- Zitieren leicht gemacht: Die wichtigsten Regeln im Überblick (in German)
- Free software for students: programs at a glance
- Effective study methods: how to learn smarter
Sources: DFG national licences, information on the offer (nationallizenzen.de, last updated: October 2026). Karlsruhe Virtual Catalogue, union search (kvk.bibliothek.kit.edu, last updated: October 2026). Database Information System DBIS (dbis.ur.de, last updated: October 2026).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
