Library guides: Indigenous Knowledge: Key resources

Key databases

Key databases to get started

Start your research in the following key databases.

Warning: The records in these databases may contain names and/or images of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

InfoRMIT This link opens in a new window
Australian database including journal articles, books/book chapters & conference papers. Click 'Change database' to limit to a collection, e.g. full-text collections:
- Indigenous
- Humanities & Social Sciences Collection
- Australian Public Affairs Full Text
Abstract only collections from peak research bodies:
- Indigenous Studies Bibliography
Archive abstract only collections from peak research bodies:
- Indigenous Australia (ATSIC)
EBSCOhost Databases (New User Interface) This link opens in a new window
For help with the NEW EBSCOhost platform, see the Quick start guide.
The previous EBSCOhost platform will be decommissioned in May, 2025.
Google scholar This link opens in a new window
Can be handy for finding articles relevant to Indigenous Knowledge. Make sure your search includes the following keywords to limit to Australian content: (Aboriginal OR "Torres Strait Islander" OR Indigenous) AND Australia.
Click here to learn how to configure your settings to show Find it @ SCU full text links.

Additional databases for comprehensive searching

Indigenous Knowledge (Gnibi) databases
If you need further literature, try searching the additional databases listed on the above page.

Tip: When searching in large multidisciplinary databases, try adding (Aboriginal OR "Torres Strait Islander" OR Indigenous) AND Australia* to your search to find more relevant results.

Specialist databases

Try the following databases if you are searching for more specific Indigenous literature sources.

MURA
The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) collections catalogue. Mura is a word from the Ngunnawal language meaning pathway. If you find useful resources in MURA, you will need to search the SCU Library to check whether we hold the item.

InfoKoori - Australian Indigenous Index This link opens in a new window
An index to the Koori Mail, a national fortnightly newspaper published in Lismore, NSW, that focuses on the Indigenous people of Australia, from May 1991 to July 2016.

BlackWords (AustLit)
Provides access to a vast record of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers and their publications, including scholarly publications. You must register with the National Library of Australia or your State Library to gain full access to AustLit.

Law databases

Native Title Law Database
The most comprehensive collection of publicly accessible native title case and legislation summaries in Australia.

AustLII This link opens in a new window
Includes the Australian Indigenous Law Library.

Health databases

See Indigenous Health and Wellbeing LibGuide

Education databases

See Indigenous Education LibGuide

Key journals

AlterNative: an International Journal of Indigenous Peoples
A peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal publishing scholarly research on Indigenous worldviews and experiences of decolonization from Indigenous perspectives from around the world.
Australian Aboriginal Studies
A peer-reviewed multidisciplinary journal that exemplifies the vision where the world’s indigenous knowledge and cultures are recognised, respected and valued.
Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues
A peer-reviewed academic journal publishing articles in all fields of Australian Indigenous Studies.
International Indigenous Policy Journal
A peer-reviewed, policy-relevant research journal addressing issues pertaining to Indigenous Peoples throughout the world.
International Journal of Critical Indigenous Studies
A peer-reviewed journal covering Humanities, Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Law and Education in the field of Indigenous Studies.
Aboriginal History
A peer-reviewed, open access annual journal
Indigenous Law Bulletin
Published by the UNSW Indigenous Law Centre
Australian Indigenous Law Review
A peer-reviewed journal published by the UNSW Indigenous Law Centre

Library Tutorial for Indigenous Units

This online tutorial will take approximately 20-25 minutes to complete, and is designed to help you with finding resources for your assessments. At the end of the module you will know how to:

Find journal articles in the library catalogue and databases
Apply research tips and tricks to get the most out of your searching
Access further help from the library

Click the arrows at the bottom right to view the tutorial in full-screen mode.

Peer reviewed or scholarly?

You may be required to find peer-reviewed journal articles. Here are some tips for finding out if an article is published in a peer-reviewed journal:

There are 4 ways to check for peer-reviewed status:

does the database allow you to restrict your search to peer reviewed publications (like Ebsco)
does the database offer a way to check by clicking the journal title, or a browse title link (like APA-FT)
search a specialised database such as Ulrichsweb or Serials Directory for the journal title. In Ulrichsweb you are hoping to see a little black and white striped referee shirt , in Serials Directory you are hoping for a statement: "Peer Reviewed: Yes".
search the web for the home page of the journal. Look for an information for authors/contributors page. Does it tell authors that their work will be subject to a peer-reviewed process.

Also remember to check that your article is scholarly and not just an opinion or commentary piece that happens to be in a peer-reviewed publication. Some good indicators:

the author gives their academic qualifications/affiliations with a university
often there is an abstract
substantial document - longer than 2 pages
list of references at the end.

Research Ready - Scholarly vs non-scholarly sources

This module that explains the difference between Scholarly and non-Scholarly resources.

Research Ready - Evaluating resources

A short module showing how to evaluate resources using the CRAAP test

Gnibi College

Gnibi College of Indigenous Australian Peoples
The name Gnibi was gifted to the College by Elders of the Bundjalung Nation.

Gnibi is the Bundjalung word for black swan. It is also the name the Bundjalung people gave to the star system, or constellation, that early European explorers called the Southern Cross.