Ohlone College LRC — English 101A
Instructor:
Rachel Sherman
Librarian:
Barbara Duggal
To Google or Not to Google? You
Have Research Options!
Ohlone
College Library Website: http://www.ohlone.edu/org/library
·
Search HANS to
find books, e-books, and other materials owned by the library
Ø
See http://www2.ohlone.edu/org/library/ebooks.html
for instructions on how to search for, and use, an e-book!
·
See Library Guides
link for other How to Search
tutorials!
Need a book from the
Subscription
Databases
Central Search: One Stop Shopping!
§
Pros & cons
to a Central Search:
o Searches all databases, selected websites, online
catalog at one time.
o Useful as discovery tool: introduction to sources you
may not know about
o But no finesse—uses same tool for every job—there
will be a percentage of false hits.
§
Basic Search
(searches title by default) or
Advanced Search options
§
“Clustered
Results” option offers returns in subject categories
§
“Results by
Source” identifies which databases yield most returns
From LRC homepage, select Search for Articles
link. Review subject areas as a
guide to help you find databases suitable for your topic (scroll down the page
for descriptions of each database).
General Search Tips:
§ If searching from home, enter your
§ Like Web search engines, each database will support a
different set of rules for searching. Always refer to the “Help” section for
specifics. Become efficient at two or three databases and you should see good
results.
§ A “subject” search will always retrieve more precise
results. If you find a good article, check to see the assigned Subject Headings (also called Descriptors), then combine those terms
to search for more articles. If not getting enough results, try a “keyword”
search.
§ Always look for ways in which the database will allow
you to save good search results as you go. Most offer correct citation formats
in various styles, and the option to email results to yourself and others.
§ ALWAYS save your citation information AS YOU COLLECT
YOUR SOURCES!!
Gale Virtual Reference
Library & Net Library: Like all
reference sources, these e-Reference Books are good sources for general
overviews of topics from a variety of perspectives.
o Find under General
subject category, select Gale Virtual Reference Library
o Enter search term, i.e., Walt Disney
o Select Net Library
o Select “keyword” from drop-down menu at left.
o Enter search term, i.e., beauty
Academic Search Premier: Full-text or citations for
articles on academic or general interest topics. Published by EBSCOhost,
Sample
Search:
o Start with
a Basic Search. Enter, i.e.,
o Review the
Narrow Results by Subject on the
left-side toolbar. Notice the subject term
o Find &
click on Advanced Search tab. Enter the full term
o Under
Narrow Results, notice social aspects. Add
it into 2nd search field, select SU Subject Terms to right. Search
& notice results. Much better!
o Add
Subject Heading Iraqis to 3rd
search field, select SU Subject Terms, notice results!
o You just
used the database to help you narrow a broad topic to a manageable one: the social effects of the Iraq War on the
Iraqi people.
o Collect
Subject Headings from good articles & combine them into new search
strategies
SIRS Knowledge Source: Includes full-text articles
on social issues and topics in the Arts and Humanities.
o If you
need ideas, click on the Topic Browse & Database Features tabs at top
o Explore
the Pro / Con feature to the right (click on More Issues…)
o Search Tips: Start with a Quick Search, which
defaults to a Subject Headings search
o Enter the
term middle ages.
o Review
results. Select all Subject Headings you think might be appropriate to your
topic. (If a Websites button appears at left, click for authoritative sources
from the WWW).
o Click on View Checked Subjects box at bottom of
list, review results, explore Descriptors
that are appropriate to your topic, use them to create new searches
o OR click
on Advanced Search. Enter, i.e., middle
ages in the top field, torture in
the 2nd field.
o Check items and select
"Update Tagged List" to save your search results
CQ Researcher: CQ Researcher consists of reports on current and controversial issues.
o Under CQ
Periodicals, click on CQ Researcher Online to gain access
o Each report includes a balanced introduction to the
issue, a "look ahead," a chronology and annotated bibliographies for
further research
o Browse by Topic, or use some of your new searching
skills in Advanced Search
WWW Website Directories Suitable for Academic Research!
§
Librarian’s Internet Index:
Websites You Can Trust: http://lii.org/
§
Internet Public Library: http://www.ipl.org/
o
Directories allow you to search
or browse within various subject categories