Academic databases are computerized, cross-referenced indexes of research materials. They can be very powerful resources for locating relevant information, provided that you understand how to search them effectively. Each source cataloged in a database is referred to as a record. Each record is made up of separate pieces of information for that source, called fields. Typical fields include author, title, and subject heading. Most databases automatically search for keywords in some fields and not others. Most have advanced search capabilities that allow you to specify which fields to search. Knowing how fields record information and which fields your database is searching when you use keywords will help you to focus your efforts to achieve more useful results. As a George Mason student, you can find a large assortment of scholarly databases available online through the main database link in the Fenwick Library web pages.The Fenwick Library online catalog is also organized as a database.