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English: Databases

This resource guide will be helpful to students researching and preparing an argument essay.

Search Like a Pro

Remember: 

AND - tells the database to only look for the keywords you put in. FEWER RESULTS

OR - tells the database to look for several terms that are similar. MORE RESULTS

NOT - tells the database to remove keywords you don't want to see. ELIMINATES RESULTS

 

 

 

Searching Academic Search Complete

To access this database, scroll down to the databases button and click on it.

Then click on the letter A and scroll down and click on Academic Search Complete.

Databases are set by default to the advanced search, which will have several boxes for terms/keywords/subject headings

The top box is "weighted" which means that the term input into this box is the "most relevant" (your primary subject)

 

OhioLINK Databases

To access OhioLINK databases off campus please enter your name and library barcode if prompted.

Electronic Journal Center Searching

1. From the library webpage, scroll down until you see:

 

2. Then click on E in the Alphabet at the top of the page:

3. Then scroll down and select Electronic Journal Center:

You can search by both basic and advanced search.

NOTE: if you do a basic search you will need to include the operators between your terms (AND, OR, NOT)

4. Click on Advanced Search:

 

5. Type each term into a box. If you are searching based on subject it is best to choose "Article Topic" from the left dropdown menu. The example shows limiting to a specific year range.

Note: make sure to select the operators (AND, OR, NOT) to tell the database how to structure your search.

6. Results will populate below the search query:

Database Strategies

Not all databases are the same but many have similar features. Look for the following:

CREATE AN ACCOUNT in order to save articles, retrieve, or share your research at a later time or location.

SUBJECT AND KEYWORD searches are not the same. Each database uses its own controlled vocabulary list for subjects. Keywords are usually found in titles, abstracts, subjects... If you search by keyword narrow the results by sugested subjects, ifavailable.

Full text through LinkSource displays where the article is located full text in another database, or if it is in print in the library.

GUIDES, help, documentation are all names of links to display the features of the particular database.

CITATION styles help with your reference or bibliography page. Cut and paste to an existing Word document, or save to your account to view later.

WHAT'S NEW Text to speech function is available in some databases. Have it read to you!

BUT I NEED RESEARCH ARTICLE Look for options to limit your results to research articles if that's what you need.