Databases Defined

Workshop Objectives

Identify everyday examples of databases
Learn the mechanics of a database
Learn which database(s) is best for their research projects
Learn basic search strategies to help them use databases

Database tutorials

There are many great tutorials available on the use of databases. I have listed just a few of these resources below.

What is a database?

"Databases are designed to offer an organized mechanism for storing, managing and retrieving information. They do so through the use of tables." - about.com

What are the different elements of a database?

Fields/columns- "A part of a record used for a particular category of data. For instance, the title (ti) field displays the title for each record in the database. Some of the other fields names are author (au), journal (jn) and abstract (ab)."- Cornell University Library
Records/rows - "A collection of related data, arranged in fields and treated as a unit. The data for each article in an online database makes up a record." - Cornell University Library
Tables - "A table in a relational database is a predefined format of records/rows and fields/columns that define an entity." - about.com