
	Why should I plan? Search strategies Choosing a database Accessing a database Evaluate your search Modify your search

Choosing a database

Now we have planned a search strategy, we need to choose an appropriate database to perform our search.

Factors that will influence your choice of database:

Jurisdictional coverage - Databases may vary in their jurisdictional focus. Some databases cover only one or two countries.
Subject coverage - Some legal databases confine their coverage to journals on specific subject areas; e.g. the Australian Criminology Database (CINCH) provides coverage on crime and criminal justice. Other law databases will index journals on all aspects of law; e.g. AGIS Plus Text, Lexis.com.
Time period coverage - Databases frequently cover only information from the late 1970s to the present. If you need information prior to this period, consult print indexes.

View key databases in the Law Guide (opens in a new window)
Familiarise yourself with all the Law Databases (opens in a new window) to which the Library subscribes.