Database [dey-tuh-beys]
Databases are websites with collections of resources (articles, books etc.) in a specific subject area. If you are doing a literature search or systematic review they are a key resource to use. There are two main kinds of database:
- Bibliographic databases (sometimes called indexes) list information about resources such as abstract and see the author details. You'll need to look for the Get it @ King's button to check if the Library has access to the full-text.
- Full-text databases list the same information but have links to read or download the item.
Business
Below is a small selection of databases for getting started with Business topics. For a more complete list of databases, see the resources available to King's Business School students on the school's webpages, and/or browse the library's A-Z Databases for Business.
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Business Searching Interface (BSI) This link opens in a new window
The Business Searching Interface (BSI) is an alternative searching interface for Business Source Complete (hosted on the platform EBSCO). It offers a better experience for browsing, with eye-catching visuals as well as the usual advanced search functionality. Use it to find case studies, scholarly articles, company profiles, country economic data, market research reports, SWOT analyses, and business news.
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Factiva This link opens in a new windowOne of the largest news aggregators and archives in the world. It offers a broad collection of sources that reach across disciplines from business and finance, journalism, PR and communications, data science and technology to political science and more.
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FAME (On Campus) This link opens in a new window
Fame is a database for searching company information. Users can research individual companies, search for companies with specific profiles, and do detailed analysis.
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FAME (Off Campus) This link opens in a new window
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Statista This link opens in a new window
Statista.com consolidates statistical data on over 80,000 topics from more than 22,500 sources. Industries covered include Consumer Goods, Internet, Media & Advertising, Retail & Trade, Sports & Recreation, Technology & Telecommunications, Transportation & Logistics, and Travel, Tourism & Hospitality.
For access off campus, please select 'Campus Access' on the log in page to reach the institutional login. -
WARC This link opens in a new window
WARC provides unbiased information and advice on advertising and marketing. It is delivered via best practice guides, case studies, research papers, special reports and advertising trend data, as well as via webinars, awards, events and advisory services.
If you encounter problems logging in from counties outside the UK please email library@kcl.ac.uk stating which country you need access from.
Law
Below are a small selection of databases for getting started with Legal topics. For a more complete list of databases, visit the A-Z list of databases for Law:
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HeinOnline This link opens in a new windowPremier online research product with more than 100 million pages of legal history available in an online, fully-searchable, image-based format. HeinOnline provides comprehensive coverage of more than 1,800 law and law-related periodicals.
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Westlaw UK This link opens in a new windowProvides case law, up-to-date legislation, academic journals, the Legal Journals Index and current awareness. It also provides EU legislation and cases and International legislation, cases and journal articles. Geographically, it covers primarily Europe and North America, although it is constantly expanding its jurisdictional scope.
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Lexis + UK This link opens in a new window
Lexis+ UK Legal Research provides full-text access to legal, tax and accountancy information. This includes many U.K. reported and unreported cases, legislation, and a number of U.K. legal journals.
Material from non-U.K. jurisdictions is available under the ‘International’ tab. The service includes Tax and Accountancy content - sign in to Lexis+ UK and choose the 'Practice Area' tab, then select the Tax or Accounting options.
For help and support using this new platform see: pages https://lexisnexisuk.custhelp.com/app/lexisplus -
SCOPUS This link opens in a new window
Scopus is a large multidisciplinary, bibliographic and citation database created and maintained by Elsevier. It provides access to extensive journal coverage especially in science, technology and medicine and is expanding its coverage of the social sciences. Citation coverage is back to 1996. Bibliographic coverage generally reaches further back but is variable.
Grey literature [grey li-truh-cher]
Grey literature is material and research produced by organizations and individuals outside of traditional, usually peer-reviewed academic or commercial publishing. It can include government documents, NGO and think-tank reports, conference papers, PhD theses, white papers and much more.
Using grey literature can help lend currency to your work as it often highlights new and emerging research that has yet to undergo the lengthy process of peer review and publication. It can also add perspectives to your work from marginalised voices - those who do not have the opportunity to publish traditionally - or uncover research that has negative or null results (which is less likely to be published in traditional journals).
For Law, some useful sources of grey literature can be found here:
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HansardHansard is a substantially verbatim report of what is said in Parliament. Members’ words are recorded and then edited to remove repetitions and obvious mistakes, albeit without taking away from the meaning. Hansard also sets out details of Divisions and reports decisions taken during a sitting.
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Policy CommonsHigh-quality policy research from 210 countries and territories produced by world’s leading policy experts, charities, think tanks, IGOs and NGOs. Includes publications from inactive organisations that may not be available elsewhere.
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Ministry of JusticeIncludes policy papers, reports, news and statistics.
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The Law SocietyPractitioner's guidance, news and campaigns.
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EThOSPlease note this resource may be affected by the British Library cyber-attack, you may need to use another theses resource until the system is available again.
EThOS is a national thesis service which aims to maximise the visibility and availability of the UK’s doctoral research theses. It supports the UK Government’s open access principle that publications resulting from publicly-funded research should be made freely available for all researchers, providing opportunities for further research. -
Amnesty InternationalNobel Peace Prize winners, Amnesty International is the world's largest grassroots human rights organisation.
Support using databases
Workshops
The library run workshops for beginners and sessions covering more advanced search techniques. We will introduce you to key databases for your subject and help you use them effectively.
Check our Calendar for more information.
1-1 Appointments
Book a 45-minute 1-1 appointment with a senior library assistant for help with e-resource navigation, searching online databases and journals, or building search strategies for literature reviews.
Please note: our 1-1 service is only for current students and staff at King's College London and/or our partnered NHS Trusts.
e-learning
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KLaSS - Finding Academic Material for Business Topics
Everything you need to know to find relevant quality resources for your assignments. -
KLaSS - Finding Academic Material for Law Topics
Everything you need to know to find relevant quality resources for your assignments.
