InfoHawk contains records for books held by the University Libraries, both books on paper and electronic books. A good way to get started with InfoHawk is to look up the author or title of a known or recommended book on the subject. An author search on Esposito, John L., editor of the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World, for instance, retrieves 65 items with which he is connected as author, editor, or contributor. Clicking on Display full record will expand the catalogue entry to show the subject headings attached to the book. These, in turn, are linked to records for other titles with the same subject headings. IIt can be useful to look at the subject headings of related items.

And look for a note in the full record that indicates that the book includes bibliographical references. These will show what sources the author(s) used and may lead to additional sources of information on the topic. 

Citations of journal articles are collected in indexes. These may be general, covering a range of disciplines, or have a disciplinary emphasis. In some instances the index entry may include a link to full text. The absence of a link does not mean that the item is not available. These are usually journal articles, and full text may be accessible from the journal's title in InfoHawk.

     ATLA Religion Database + ATLAS combines two earlier indexes to literature in religious studies into a single database indexing journal articles and volumes of collected essays.

    Historical Abstracts indexes articles on history, from 1450 onward, outside the United States and Canada [see America: History and Life].

    Index Islamicus indexes literature on Islam, the Middle East, and the Muslim world.

   PAIS International includes references to literature on public affairs from articles and books to research reports, conference proceedings, and government documents, and publications of international agencies.

    Worldwide Political Science Abstracts covers the journal literature of political science including international relations, law, and public administration.

    Academic Search Elite covers leading journals in a range of fields and is also the most frequently updated index. ATLA Religion, Historical Abstracts, and Index Islamicus can be searched simultaneously from Academic Search Elite and from each other by clicking on the Choose Databases link at the top of the opening page and selecting databases to search from the list that opens.

As with books, looking at the full citation for a journal article will suggest related subject terms to use in adjusting and refining searches.