Getting the most out of Research Databases

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Getting the most out of Research Databases

• Jane Foo, Seneca Learning Commons
• 416-491-5050 x3160
• http//people.senecac.on.ca/jane.foo

Mara Bordignon, Seneca Learning
Commons 416-491-5050 x3153 http//people.senecac.o
n.ca/mara.bordignon
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Outline

• Value of databases
• Special features of databases
• Strategies on finding hard-find-information
• Database tools

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Value of Databases

• What are they?
• containers of textual, numeric, graphic, and
  animated information and data
• What do they contain?
• articles (newspaper, magazine, journal,
  encyclopedia, dictionary) corporate, business,
  legal and scientific data electronic books
• Where are they?
• for the best free selection, through the
  Learning Commons Online (http//learningcommons.se
  necacollege.ca)

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Persistent Links - What are they?

• From TechEncyclopedia http//www.techweb.com/ency
  clopedia/
• A predefined connection between programs so that
  when information in one database or file is
  changed, related information in other databases
  and files is also updated.
• Where to get persistent links Proquest,
  EBSCOhost, library catalogue, other databases
• A canned search is a functional link that
  launches a pre-defined search.
• Highly customized search statement
• Updated automatically
• Email alerts available in some case

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Links to Full-Text Articles(persistent links)
Link to the article
Link to the publication
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Links to Full-Text Articles(persistent links)
Link to the article
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Canned Searches - Example
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Subject Index
Topic guide is a searchable subject index
Links to subject terms
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Subject Index
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Viewing, Printing Emailingprinting
bibliography article summary
MLA citation style
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Results Manipulation
Limit journals, magazines, trade publication,
newspapers or FULLTEXT only
Limit by most recent or most relevant
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Viewing, Printing, Emailing
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Viewing, Printing, Emailing
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Viewing, Printing, Emailing
Printable version, email, further study
(bibliography, cite this article)
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Downloading Citations
Format results and use them to generate
bibliographies
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Screen Customizations
You can specify how you want the search results
to be displayed.
Can limit results to section or type of media
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Screen Customizations
You can specify how you want a result to be
displayed.
Can view the same article in three different ways
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Content Customizations
You can save searches and records
Account created which allows you to save items
(books) and notes (sections within books)
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Alerts
Predefined information that comes to you
Free username, password Search Alerts,
Volume/Issue Alerts, Citation Alerts, Favorite
Journal and Book Series List (similar to a book
bag)
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Alerts
Predefined information that comes to you
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Special searches within publication/Electronic
Books
Search within text
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Special Limiters
Typically Found Date, Publication, Language,
Full-Text, Images, Peer Review. Then there are
those special ones
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Advanced Search
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Spell-Check, Thesaurus
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Search Strategies for Hard-To-Find Information

• Where to look is as important as what to look for
• Get as much background information as possible
• Understand the search tools that you are using
• Expect errors / misinformation
• Use the Internet as a detective tool
• Refine and iterate your search

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Learn More About Databases

• Help
• FAQs
• Guides, Helpsheets
• Tutorials, Online Training
• Published Articles
• Library Web sites
• Library Staff

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Contact Us

• At Seneca_at_York
• Jane Foo
• Web Instruction Librarian
• E-mail Jane.Foo_at_senecac.on.ca
• Telephone [phone] x3160
• Mara Bordignon
• Information Services Librarian
• E-mail Mara.Bordignon_at_senecac.on.ca
• Telephone [phone] x3153