Table of Contents
Looking for one particular subject? Or want to search a broad subject like History? You can focus your searches by limiting them to specific databases or subjects.
Find out which databases you’re searching
Your institution's ProQuest subscription can include many databases. The number of databases you are currently searching is displayed at the top of the ProQuest window, like this:
Databases (117)
View which databases you’re searching by clicking the Databases link to open the Select Databases page. You can view the database list by name or by subject area.
Select databases
You can change your database selections on the Select Databases page. Select the databases you want to search, then click Use selected databases. Select or deselect all databases at one time by checking or unchecking the check box at the top of the database list.
Choose the amount of detail to display for each database
On the Select Databases page, items in your database list are available in either Brief view or Detailed view. Click the links above the list to switch between the views.
Brief view includes the database title and date, and an indication of whether full text is available, along with a link to more information about that title. Trial databases are also shown. Detailed view includes the same information as Brief view, plus the following:
- Content types included in the database
- Subjects covered
- When available, a link to the title list for that database
Choose how to view databases
Select View by name to view an alphabetical list of all available databases. View by subject shows the databases related to that subject.
More ways to search databases
Search databases within a subject area
Select View by subject. Find your subject of interest in the list, for instance The Arts databases, and then click Search The Arts subject area.
Within any subject area, you’ll find only databases relating to that particular subject area. Some databases may be found in multiple subject areas.
Search a collection of databases
Some ProQuest databases contain other databases; for example, your institution may subscribe to a current newspaper database which contains other databases such as the Detroit News and the New York Times. These "child" databases can be shown or hidden by using the + and - links.
Search one database
To search one database, find it within the Select Databases list and click the database title, or check the box on the left and click the Use selected databases button.
Search using database shortcuts
Quickly search your favorite databases by setting up database shortcuts on the Preferences page, then from the Database layer or Select Databases page, click My shortcuts to see a list of your links.
Search featured publications
Your librarian or ProQuest administrator can create custom links to search a set of one-to-fifteen specific publications. When these links are available, they display at the top of the Select Databases page, beneath the heading Search featured publications. You might also encounter these links on your library's homepage or other pages available on your institution's website.
When you follow one of these links, the link name will display as the page title at the top of all search pages, and on the Results page. While the link name is displayed at the top of the page, subsequent searches will be limited to content from the publications referenced by the link. You will be taken out of the context of the link and its specified publications when you do any of the following:
- Change your database selections or click Use Selected Databases on the Select Databases page.
- Click Publications, and then click a publication title.
- Click Browse, and then click any browse link.
Learn more about a database
On each individual database's home page you can find more information about:
- Brief description of the database
- Subject coverage
- Title lists
Further information for each database is available at www.proquest.com 
.