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Database Searching for CNM Graduate Students

(NM6770)

Gan Kim Hong (Ms)Librarian, NUS Central Library

clbgkh@nus.edu.sg

August 2009

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CNM Subject Guide

http://www.lib.nus.edu.sg/lion/sg/ss/cn/cnm.html

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What shall we learn?

Database searching Searching journals in LINC Using proxy bookmark to access full-text E-Forms Journal alerts EndNote X2

Locating Journal Articles

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CITATIONS FULL-TEXT

via mainlydatabases

via1.databases2.LINC catalogue3.document delivery

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So, to look for citations, which databases should I search?

Recommended Databases …

Proquest Dissertations and Theses (U.S. Ph.D theses)

Communication & Mass Media Complete (CMMC) (communication, mass media topics)

Web of Science (peer-reviewed) JSTOR (back issues, full-text) Full-text databases (multi-disciplinary topics)

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Mechanics of Database Searching

formulate search statement sort results by relevance refine strategy apply limit options mark & save results

Topic: political campaigning via Internet

Google-type

political campaigning via the internet ? hits

Boolean Keyword

political and campaigning and internet ?hits

Boolean keyword

politic* and campaign* and (internet or web or online or cyber)

? hits

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Boolean Operators

and = both terms must be present

or = either of the terms may be present

not = excludes a search term

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Truncation (*)

The truncation (*) retrieves anything that The truncation (*) retrieves anything that comes after the stemcomes after the stem

computcomput** retrievesretrieves computcomputerercomputcomputerserscomputcomputinging

Wildcard (?)

The wildcard (?) replaces The wildcard (?) replaces oneone character character

womwom??nn retrievesretrieves womwomaann womwomeenn

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Phrase search

Use quotation marks for phrase searches

e.g. ““political campaign*political campaign*”” and internet and internet

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Proximity Operators

political political n5n5 campaign campaign searches both terms within 5 words of one

another, regardless of the order entered

political political w5w5 campaign campaign searches both terms within 5 words of one

another, in the order entered

(Check HELP menu in each database for exact use of the various operators)

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Keyword Search using Boolean Logic

Identify the key conceptsIdentify the key concepts string the concepts using andande.g. (political) and (campaigning) and (internet)

Use synonyms Use synonyms to expand your search terms using orore.g. (internet or web or online or cyber)e.g. (internet or web or online or cyber)

Use truncation and wildcardUse truncation and wildcard to capture variant forms of a search term e.g. (campaign*)

Communication & Mass Media Complete

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Proquest Dissertations and Theses

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EbscoHost InformaWorld Project Muse Proquest Sage ScienceDirect

See library portal for complete list

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Searching Full-text Databases

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Using Library Proxy Bookmark to access full-text articles

subscribed by NUS Libraries

Taken from URL links in Websites

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Taken from URL links in Email Alerts

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What is a Library Proxy Bookmark?

Inserts the NUS library proxy stem (libproxy1.nus.edu.sg) into the URL of the article

Connects you to the library proxy and allows you to view the full-text of the article straightaway if it is subscribed by NUS Libraries

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How do I install the Library Proxy Bookmark in my browser?

Click on the link below and follow the instructions:

http://lib.nus.edu.sg/lion/d/proxybkmrklet_google.html

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How to use the proxy bookmark?

1. Click on the URL of the article

2. Click on the library proxy bookmark

You will be prompted for your NUSNET ID and password if you have not login previously during the session

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Q: What if the databases do not have the full-text of the journal article I need?

A: Check the LINC catalogue

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Searching for Journals in LINC

Verser, Rebecca & Wicks, Robert (2006). Managing voter impressions. Journal of Communication, 56 (1), 178-197.

article title

journal title

A: journal title

Q: Which title should I search in LINC?

Let’s do a Journal Search!

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The journal article I need is not in LINC either. What can I do?

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Document Delivery Service (DDS)

Submit E-Form (choose the right form) E-form to be endorsed by supervisor Free of charge for graduate students Allow 3 to 5 days’ processing time

Accessing E-Forms

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New book titles Inter-library loans Intra-library loans (e.g. transfer items

from HSSML Library to Central Library, NUS)

Document delivery

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E-Forms available for -

Journal Alerts – Why?

To keep yourself up-to-date with the research done in your area

You are notified via email the latest articles published in the journal or database in which you have set the alerts

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Steps to Set Alerts

1. Register for an account in the e-journal or database

2. Look for the Alert option and set your alerts

You can set alerts for: new issues (table of contents) pre-prints a specific search statement

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More information on Alerts …

How can I be alerted to...

- New journal issues for my favorite journal(s)?   - New journal articles in ScienceDirect?- New books acquired by the library?

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What is EndNote/EndNote Web?

A software that stores & organizes the references you have

collected from the various sources automatically formats/re-formats your

references according to the citation style you specify, e.g. APA style

automatically generates the References list at the end of your Word document

free for NUS staff and students

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Your Library Contacts

Gan Kim Hong (Ms)

Central Libraryclbgkh@nus.edu.sg 6516-2022

Rahimah (Ms) Central Libraryclbrmm@nus.edu.sg 6516-2022