Research Tools
Research Databases
Use the buttons below to view the library's research databases in each subject area. You can also use the research databases at the Watertown Free Public Library and the Boston Public Library. If you don't already have a WFPL card and a BPL ecard, here's how to get them.
Working from home? Find passwords here at this link. (NOTE: you must be logged into your school email to access this document).
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Find better information more quickly using these tips and tricks.
- " " Search for an exact word or phrase using quotation marks:
Example:
Searching for: "the hunger games" will give you results with the full book or movie title, instead of pages that have each of the words "hunger" and "games" somewhere on the page.
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Use the minus sign to weed out results that you don't want.
Example:
If you want to find information on the book The Hunger Games, but not the movie, search for: “The Hunger Games” -movie.
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To find results from a specific website, start your search with "site:"
Example:
If you want to find articles from The New York Times about The Hunger Games, set up your search like this: site:nytimes.com “the hunger games”
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Find results from a specific country by combining "site: " with a country code.
Example:
If you want to find websites and news articles from the UK about Harry Potter, set up your search like this: site: UK “harry potter”
Find a list of country codes here.
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Use OR to search for more than one search term at once.
Example:
If you want to do a search for results that use either the term "climate change" or the term "global warming," set up your search like this: climate change OR global warming
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Don't forget to use the tabs at the top of your search results!
You can narrow down your results by choosing what type of source you want to see.
More Search Tips From Google:
Google Search Tips: The Basics
Refining Your Search with Search Operators
Filter Your Search Results
Find Free-to-Use Images
Advanced Search
Accessibility in Google Search
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Encyclopedias
Encyclopedia Britannica Online - The high school edition of the encyclopedia.
For the Spanish language edition, click here: Escolar
Biography (Gale in Context) -
Biographical information about current and historical figures.
View passwords for home use.General Reference and Research
Access to a wide range of academic journals and other periodicals. A great resource for articles on all subjects.
PowerSearch (Gale) - Search all the Gale databases at once. -
Digital Newspapers and Magazines
You can read the digital version of today's New York Times here with a Boston Public Library ecard (Get one in just a few minutes here).
Or, search the archives:
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New York Times archive, 1995 - present
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New York Times archive, 1851 - 2021 (with a BPL ecard)
You can read the digital version of today's Boston Globe here with a Boston Public Library ecard (Get one in just a few minutes here).
Or, search the archives with a BPL ecard:
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Boston Globe archive, 2007 - present
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Boston Globe archive, 1872 - 2007
You can read the digital version of today's paper with a Boston Public Library ecard (Get one in just a few minutes here). 
You can read the digital version of today's Wall Street Journal with a Boston Public Library ecard (Get one in just a few minutes here). Collection of Associated Press news articles and photographs. Access with a Boston Public Library ecard (Get one in just a few minutes here). Access to a wide range of newspapers from around the world. Access with a Boston Public Library ecard (Get one in just a few minutes here). 
Sora now has magazines! Log in with your school email account to browse their huge collection. Click Here for Slides on how to read magazines on Sora
Access to a huge collection of digital magazines. Log in with a Boston Public Library ecard (Get one in just a few minutes here).
Archived Newspaper and Magazine Articles
A collection of a wide range of current and archived news publications.
Popular Magazines (Gale OneFile)
A collection of a wide range of general interest and popular periodicals.
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Art Databases
Academic research articles, news articles, and other information about the arts.
Biographical information and articles on major artists.
View passwords for home use.A collection of art curated from museums around the world. Search by artist, medium, art movement, and more.
This website, produced by the National Endowment for the Humanities, includes reproductions and background information on a wide range of American works of art.
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Information, news, and reports on companies and industries.
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Vocations and Careers (Gale One File)
Up to date articles and information on wide range of careers and industries.
Access to articles from major cooking and nutrition publications, as well as searchable recipes and restaurant reviews.
Hospitality and Tourism (Gale OneFile)
Information from guides and magazines about the hospitality and tourism industries.
Criminal Justice (Gale OneFile)
Articles with information about careers in law, law enforcement, Homeland Security, and other related fields.
Nursing and Allied Health (Gale OneFile)
Articles with information about all aspects of the nursing profession.
Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine (Gale OneFile)
Current information on the field of sports medicine.
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Gale eBooks – This link will bring you to the online version of Novels for Students and Shakespeare for Students.
Literature Resource Center -
Literary criticism, biographical information, and other resources on major works.Salem Literature – Find information on authors and literary criticism of major works.
Bloom's Literature – Literary criticism articles along with short essays on characters and themes of major works.
JSTOR – A great research tool, with access to a huge library of academic research articles. *You will need a BPL ecard to access this resource (Get one here in just a few minutes). Opposing Viewpoints (Gale in Context)
Current articles, commentary, and study guides on a wide range of social issues.
Biography (Gale in Context) – Biographical information about major figures.
Access to a wide range of academic journals and other periodicals. A great resource for articles on all subjects.
Searchable archive of New York Times articles, 1995 - present.
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Another great place to get information on any topic.
Encyclopedia Britannica Escolar
Spanish language edition of Britannica for students.
Finding Books
We have a small but growing collection of books in languages other than English:
You can also find ebooks and audiobooks in many languages using Sora. This slide has instructions for how to search for books by langauge.
Suggest Books We Should Get For The Library
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Health and Medicine (Gale OneFile)
Research articles and other resources related to the study of health.
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Science (Gale OneFile) Science articles from peer reviewed journals and magazines.
Environmental Studies and Policy (Gale in Context)
Peer reviewed articles and study guides on environmental studies and policy topics.
Access to Psychology research articles.
Access to a wide range of academic journals and other periodicals. A great resource for articles on all subjects.
Opposing Viewpoints (Gale in Context)
A great place to find information on current events and debates related to scientific issues.
JSTOR
Access to a huge library of academic research articles. *You will need a BPL ecard to access this resource (find out here on the link how to get one in just a few minutes). -
biographical information about current and historical figures.
View passwords for home use.US History (Gale in Context) -
scholarly articles, encyclopedias, primary sources, and more.
View passwords for home use.World History (Gale in Context) -
scholarly articles, encyclopedias, primary sources, and more.
View passwords for home use.
Military and Intelligence (Gale OneFile) - a collection of articles and other resources focusing on historic and current military issues. War and Terrorism (Gale OneFile) - information focusing on issues related to war and domestic and global terrorism. Opposing Viewpoints (Gale in Context) - current articles, commentary, and study guides on a wide range of social issues. Psychology (Gale OneFile) - current articles, research, and resources on Psychology. Academic OneFile – access to a wide range of academic journals and other periodicals. A great resource for articles on all subjects. New York Times archive -searchable archive of New York Times articles, 1995 - present. JSTOR - a great research tool, with access to a huge library of academic research articles. *You will need a BPL ecard to access this resource (Get one here).
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Online Resources for Language Learning
Self-paced online learning courses.
*Use your Watertown Free Public Library card to access.
Encyclopedia Britannica Escolar
Spanish language edition of Britannica for students.