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Research Strategies

:: The Library

:: Search Strategy

:: Topic

:: The Web

:: Scholarly?

:: Reference

:: Catalogs

:: Articles

:: Databases I

:: Databases II

:: Databases III

:: Databases IV

:: Quick Search

:: Evaluation

:: Plagiarism

:: Citing

Research Databases II -- Simple Searching
Retrieving online articles or other electronic resources from a research database is quick and easy.

Beginning the Search
All research databases present a "window" in which users can type a search term. Specialized databases may offer customized searching options. In this example of a music database, "Disc or Composition title" and "Composer or Artist" are special options.

Keyword Searches
Entering a keyword, such as BEETHOVEN, or a phrase, such as UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE, and clicking the Search button will produce a results list.

The Results List
The results list may be in order by date (most recent item first) or in order by relevance (most pertinent items at the top of the list.)

In most databases, the result list provides a citation or a brief record.

Improving Your Search Results
A keyword search on Academic Search Complete for UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE produced 3830 results.

To find FEWER BUT MORE PERTINENT results, use an option in "Narrow results by" (left column) or "Limit your results" (right column.) For instance, in the left column, you can narrow your results by adding (clicking) the term "MEDICAL care, Cost of" from the Subject: Thesaurus Term category to your search query. (To see ALL of the articles about the subject "Medical care, Cost of," type that subject into the search box at the top of the screen.)

In the EBSCO databases, you can also filter the results to see citations from a particular type of publication by clicking on Academic Journals, Magazines, Newspapers, etc. in the "Source Types" category.

Academic Search Complete sort by graphic

"Sort by" Options
Limiting the results of the keyword search by adding another term to your search query reduces the number of results, showing you citations that contain each of your search terms.

You can see the most pertinent items in a list by changing the order in which the citations are displaying from "Date" to "Relevance" in the "Sort by" options.

Links to ONLINE Articles
Online articles supplied by the database vendor may have HTML Full Text or PDF Full Text links.

If you do not see either of these options, always check FIND IT!

FIND IT with OLinks

If an article is not available in HTML Full Text or PDF Full Text, always check .

"FIND IT" generates a new OLinks webpage. If the article is available online, OLinks will display the link (highlighted in yellow.)

If Clark Library subscribes, our local holdings information will appear.

Additionally, information about interlibrary loan, other search options, and a citation formatter are accessible from OLinks.

If an article is not available in hard copy in the Library or in electronic full text, request it via InterLibrary Loan.

Full Text via the Title
In some databases, such as LexisNexis, clicking the title will cause the online article to display.

APA and MLA Citations in the EBSCO Databases

In most research databases, clicking the title of an article will cause the full record for the article to display.

In the EBSCO databases, in the full record, click the yellow-tinted-page icon to see APA and MLA citations.

Locating More Articles Using the Subject
In catalogs and research databases, each full record includes a field that identifies the subject(s). In the record above, you can see four subjects identified in the field labeled "Subject Terms":

MEDICAL care, Cost of,
MEDICAL care -- United States
MEDICAL economics
HEALTH planning

When you find a record that is perfect for your research, you can move from a keyword to a subject heading search by clicking on the "best" subject heading. This will generate a new list of results; each item in this new list will be about that subject.

Help
Because many different companies produce catalogs and research databases, you will notice differences in the screens, command keys, and functions. Guides to most catalogs and databases are available online. Look for HELP or SEARCH TIPS -- or ask a librarian for assistance.

For tutorials that will teach you to use specific databases, see our webpage Tutorials, Guides, Tips, and Help.

To go to the next page in the Research Strategies tutorial, click Databases III.

Need Help?

Get help via IM, Chat With a Librarian, email (Reference_Services@Shawnee.edu), or by phoning (740.351.3321).

If you prefer face-to-face assistance, stop by the Clark Memorial Library Reference Counter or schedule a Research Consultation with a Reference Librarian.

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