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CRJ: Researching Criminal Cases: Accessing the Databases and Journal Articles

Accessing the Databases

Databases are a collection of data organized in a manner that allows for access, retrieval and use of that data, which are journal, newspaper, government, etc. articles

Edison State Library has numerous databases available to students and these can be accessed directly through the library's main database page, which is located here. For information about accessing specific databases, please look at the PDFs or watch the videos provided below. 

Peer reviewed articles are reviewed by a board of scholarly reviewers that have analyzed the article for quality of research and adherence to editorial standards of the journal before accepting it for publication. This high standard of writing, content, and research quality results in the highest quality scholarly articles on your subject.

If you use materials from peer-reviewed publications, they have been vetted by scholars in the field for quality and importance (SDSU Library, n.d.). 

SDSU Library. (n.d.). What is peer review? Retrieved July 14, 2020, from https://libguides.sdsu.edu/UnderstandingPeerReview

ESearch Articles, journals and databases

ESearch can search everything at once or specific resources and databases can be accessed by using the provided limiters. Selecting the Articles link under the ESearch bar will limit the results to only articles. Once initial search is completed, select the limiters along the left side of the page to choose specific journals or databases. 

Use search techniques to get better results, such as: 

  • Make two word searches into one term by placing terms in quotes-examples: Video Games="Video Games" or Greenhouse Gases="Greenhouse Gases" 
  • Use the word AND between search terms to make the system provide results that contain both terms-example: games AND video
  • Use the word NOT between search terms to make the system provide results that contain the first term, but not the second term-example: games NOT video
  • Use the word OR between search terms to make the system provide results that contain either of the terms-example: games OR video
  • Combine these search techniques-examples: "video games" AND positive OR good example: video AND positive OR good NOT games

Access this PDF to learn how to use ESearch to locate articles, journals or databases and how to use the search techniques provided.

Academic Search Complete

Google Scholar

After searching Nexis Uni, check Google Scholar. After clicking the link, select "Case Law" and then choose the court. Search for a case by title or citation.

Nexis Uni

Check Nexis Uni first. Follow the attached directions to search for cases. 

Legal Collection

Legal Collection and Criminal Justice Abstracts are both EBSCO databases where you may be able to find academic articles about criminal cases. The "How Do I" doc applies to them both since they are searched the same way.

Criminal Justice Abstracts

Find databases by subjects

Legal Information Institute

If you need additional case info that you haven't found in Nexis Uni or Google Scholar, you may be able to find info in LII. 

Contact Edison Library and Tutoring Center

Reach out to the library or tutoring center, if additional help is needed. 

  Library: 937-778-7950

  Tutoring Center: 937-778-7959      

Edison State Library Hours: Monday to Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Phone number: 937-778-7950