Ask a Librarian

Search Library Pages or the Internet

JACKSONIAN AMERICA: 1820-1850 -- HIS 4525/HIS 4899
DATABASE SEARCH FEATURES

Some Universal Search Features

1. Use "Help" or "Search Tips" link to answer questions about searching the database.
2. Can search multiple databases at the same time but may include loss of some specialized search features.
3. Use "quotation marks" to search for exact phrases (especially true for OCLC databases).
4. Can limit or refine retrieval by including various qualifiers (e.g., date range or publication type).
5. Can use "Not" as a connector to exclude words in order to create a more precise search.
6. Can search by title of periodical with a "Source" or "Publication Name" search and add qualifying term(s) with a keyword search.
7. Look for applicable subject headings (or descriptors) in article records to use as links to more articles on that topic.

New and/or Specialized Search Features

1. EBSCOhost periodical index databases¹:
   1. Includes some image (PDF) / full text (HTML) articles.
   2. Can limit retrieval in some EBSCOhost databases to scholarly (peer reviewed) journals.
   3. Includes links in some article records to:
      1. "Check SPU Catalog" for holdings information in the catalog.
      2. New Feature!  "Check for full text" to determine which SPU database might have the article in image/full text.
      3. "Request via ILL" if article is not available in an SPU database or at SPU.
          
2. ProQuest periodical index databases¹:
   1. Includes some image (PDF) / full text (HTML) articles.
   2. Can search using "Topic Guide" tab and then filter by subject, company/org, location, and person.
   3. Can limit retrieval to scholarly and peer-reviewed journals.
   4. Sorts article results by type of periodical (e.g., Scholarly Journals, Magazines, Trade Publications, Newspapers, Reference/Reports).
   5. New Feature!  Includes links to suggested topics and publications at the top of article results.
   6. Click on "Marked List" tab to use: (1) article and bibliography print feature, which supports emailing articles and various citation styles; and (2) research summary, which creates reading lists.
   7. Includes links in some article records to:
      1. "Check SPU Catalog" for holdings information in the catalog.
      2. New Feature!  "Check for full text via Article Linker" to determine which SPU database might have the article in image/full text.
         1. [Note: Includes a "Submit Interlibrary Loan Request" link to use when article is not available in an SPU database or at SPU.]
             
3. OCLC FirstSearch periodical index databases¹ (i.e., WorldCat):
   1. Includes NO image/full text articles.
   2. Use "quotation marks" to search for exact phrases or the database will include an "and".
   3. Can limit search results to " Subscriptions held by my library".  [Note: Means SPU library has some issues of the periodical title in either paper or microfilm.]
   4. Can limit retrieval in some OCLC databases to peer reviewed journals.
   5. Shows in article record "Local Holdings Information" for periodical title (e.g., vol: 18-   1975-   ).  [Note: Sometimes this holdings information is not accurate so use link "Search the catalog at SPU Library" in article record to find accurate paper/microfilm holdings information.]
   6. New Feature!  Includes link "Find Full Text" on the record screen to determine which SPU database might have the article in image/full text.
   7. Use link "Borrow this item from another library (Interlibrary Loan)" or " ILL" icon in article record to order photocopy of periodical article.

¹See main SPU Database web page or subject listing of databases to match database and vendor.