Drama and Performance Studies Guide: Databases

Online indexes are databases of bibliographic records. These databases can be full text or abstracts.Databases cover books and other formats, but the primary reason to use an online database is to identify articles in journals and magazines. Important note: databases are either discipline specific or multidisciplinary. It is important for you as the researcher to establish which databases best suit your field of study.

Searching the databases:

• In most databases, a simple keyword search includes the article title, the author, and assigned subject terms. It might also include the text of an abstract, content notes, and more.
• In most databases, you can limit your search to a particular field of the record using a pull-down menu.

Some multidisciplinary databases

• Academic Search Complete (part of Ebscohost)
• Ebscohost
• Jstor
• Proquest One Academic
• Proquest theses and dissertations
• Sage
• Taylor and Francis
• Web of science
• Wiley
• icatalogue

South African databases

Sabinet is a collection of South African publications including some South African journal collections. The two large journal collections are: Index to SA Periodicals - an index only; and SA and African Journal Archive which is a subset containing articles available full text.

Encyclopedia of South African Theatre and Performance

is an open access, internet based interactive resource for theatre and performance researchers interested in the evolution, history and forms of drama, theatre and performance in South Africa. It has been published on the web by the Drama Department, University of Stellenbosch since March 2011.