Academic Research Databases

Definition

Academic research databases are organized collections of scholarly articles, journals, reports, and other academic resources that are accessible for research and study. These databases provide researchers with a structured way to search for high-quality secondary data across various disciplines, making it easier to locate peer-reviewed materials and credible sources essential for effective market research.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Academic research databases often include a wide range of sources like journal articles, conference papers, theses, and reports, ensuring comprehensive access to scholarly work.
2. Many academic databases provide advanced search features that allow users to filter results based on criteria such as date range, publication type, or subject area.
3. Access to these databases is typically provided through educational institutions or libraries, which often have subscriptions to multiple databases.
4. Not all academic research databases are equal; some specialize in certain fields, while others cover a broad range of disciplines, impacting the depth and quality of the data available.
5. Utilizing academic research databases effectively can significantly enhance the quality of market research by providing reliable secondary data that is crucial for informed decision-making.

Review Questions

• How do academic research databases enhance the quality of secondary data sources available for market research?
  • Academic research databases enhance the quality of secondary data sources by providing access to a wide array of peer-reviewed materials and scholarly articles. These resources ensure that the information is credible and up-to-date, which is vital when making informed decisions in market research. The structured organization of these databases allows researchers to efficiently find relevant studies that support their hypotheses or analyses.
• What are some key features of academic research databases that distinguish them from general search engines?
  • Key features of academic research databases include access to peer-reviewed journals, advanced search options using Boolean operators, and comprehensive indexing of scholarly works. Unlike general search engines, which may return a mix of credible and non-credible sources, academic databases focus solely on scholarly content. This specialization ensures users can locate high-quality information relevant to their fields of study more easily.
• Evaluate the role of metadata in academic research databases and its impact on the efficiency of data retrieval.
  • Metadata plays a critical role in academic research databases by providing essential details about each resource, such as authorship, publication date, abstract, and keywords. This structured information allows users to quickly assess the relevance and credibility of sources when conducting searches. Effective metadata organization significantly enhances the efficiency of data retrieval by enabling targeted searches that can save time and improve the accuracy of findings in market research efforts.

Related terms

Peer-Reviewed Journals: Scholarly publications that require articles to be evaluated by experts in the field before publication, ensuring the quality and credibility of the research.

Metadata: Data that provides information about other data, often including details such as authorship, publication date, and abstract, which helps in categorizing and retrieving resources within databases.

Boolean Operators: Logical connectors such as AND, OR, and NOT used in search queries to refine and enhance the results when searching academic databases.