WISER: Electronic Resources for ResearchAn introduction to the networked databases available through the Oxford Libraries Information Platform (OXLIP)

Judy Reading & Cesar Pimenta

Structure of session

• Presentation outlining useful search strategies and explaining where to look and what kinds of resources are available

• Demonstration to show how these strategies might work in practice

• Time to explore with assistance available

OxLIP (Oxford Libraries Information Platform) is a gateway to hundreds of electronic resources

http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/oxlip/

catalogues abstracting & indexing servicesreference works full-text resourcesstatistical resources official publicationselectronic journals quality web resourcescurrent awareness services citation indexesindexes to theses

OXLIP databases are arranged A-Z by title and also organised by subject

Examples of DatabasesAbstract and Indexing Services eg databases from: CSA – Cambridge Scientific Abstracts OCLC Firstsearch Ovid WebSPIRS

Citation index: Web of Knowledge

Other: TDNet (Electronic journals) Full-text resources (eg JSTOR, Past Masters) Catalogues (OLIS, COPAC, British Library, Worldcat) Theses (Dissertations Abstracts, Index to Theses) Conference papers (Proceedings) Web resources and mailing lists (Intute)

Access to OxLIPAccess from any Oxford University computer usually straightforward

If access is needed from a non-University PC:•Should be arranged before leaving Oxford•Register for a personal Athens account•If database does not use Athens contact OUCS to arrange remote access to the Oxford University network

OxLIP from outside Oxford : Athens and VPN (Virtual Private Network)

http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/network/remote

Athens password http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/athens/

Frequently asked questions, including further information on database and electronic journal access,

are available @ http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/erc/docs/faq.pdf

Search Strategies Ask a clear search question Break the question into search concepts Identify a range of search terms Consider the relationships between your search terms Try those terms in appropriate databases/resources Find more search terms from retrieved records while searching

Keyword searching – Searches for terms anywhere in the field or record – Useful as a starting place but results can be less relevantSubject indexes – Where possible tap into the subject headings or thesauri provided by the databases

Boolean Logic: OR, AND, NOT, NEAR

Television

ObesityChildren

‘Or’ would include everything in both sets

‘and’ just in the overlap area, ‘not’ excludes a term and ‘near’ defines how close the

terms should be in the database.

How to Approach an Unfamiliar Database:

• You can use cross-searching for some collections of databases to identify

concentrations of useful references• Use the help screens provided – check the specific conventions (eg do

they use &, +, or “and”)• Apply truncation, usually * to find plurals/alternative word endings and ? to

replace a single character. • Expand search by following hypertext links, e.g. for alternative subject

headings.• Use facilities within database to mark articles for printing, emailing,

downloading or exporting.

Cambridge Scientific Abstracts• Find all CSA databases through OXLIP www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/oxlip under C in title

index or search on individual databases directly by their names as below. They will be listed in relevant subject sections of OXLIP.

• Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts• Aquatic Sciences• ARTbibliographies Modern• Biological and Medical Sciences• Biotechnology and Bioengineering Abstracts • Community of Scholars - Social Science• Computer Technology• Design and Applied Arts Index• Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management• Index Islamicus• Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts • LISA - Library and Information Science Abstracts• Materials Research Database with METADEX • Materials Science• National Criminal Justice Reference Service Abstracts • PAIS• PILOTS - Published International Literature On Traumatic Stress • TOXLINE• Social Sciences• Worldwide Political Science Abstracts

Database coverage, searching help etc

Choose Social Sciences to cross search the social sciences indexes on CSA. Alternatively choose a database(s) by clicking on “specific databases”.

Limit dates

Example of a boolean search in CSA:indigenous people* NEAR self NEAR (determination OR government)

Finds the phrase indigenous people(s) within 10 words of either the phrase self determination or the phrase self government

Look out for useful descriptors

Check boxes for useful articles

View record:•Abstract•Article bibliography•combine descriptors in a new search

Direct link to full text online

Sort – relevancy ranking can useful but check help to see how its done.

Choose from the tabs - do you want publications , scholars, website? Do you want peer reviewed only?

Alerts you when new items are added to the database which meet your criteria

DE= Subject heading

Keyword search searches Title, Abstract and descriptor

Use the drop down menu to choose boolean operators between the search fields (e.g. selfdetermination as a descriptor OR aborigin* as a keyword or selfdetermination as a descriptor AND aborigin* as a keyword).You can also use boolean operators within the search box if you wish.

Useful Features in CSA

• Advanced Search: Ideal to construct and execute more detailed, powerful searches

• Save, print, email references or export them to bibliographic management products such as RefWorks

• Search history: Use this feature either via the results page or via the Search Tools Tab.

• Thesaurus: Use this feature to search for controlled vocabulary terms since it provides a standard language or set of terms to describe a topic

• Don’t forget to select a subject area or a specific database prior to conducting a search!

Electronic journals: use TD-Net

• TD-Net provides an index to all electronic journals. You can also search collections from specific suppliers such as JSTOR

The best way to use TD Net is to enter the journal title in the quick search box or to browse the alphabetical list of journals.

NOTE:•Do not use acronyms •Enter the journal title not the article title

TD NET - http://tdnet.bodley.ox.ac.uk or follow links from OxlipIncludes most journals which are available online. There are a few exceptions, so if you can’t find a journal which you suspect is available online please check with your subject librarian

Example search “Economist”

Date coverage available online

“Search TD NET” offers subject searching. However, this search is limited to words in the title. It is better to use indexing and abstracting services in your subject area or general tools such as CSA or IBSS for subject and literature searching. TD Net is most useful as a way to locate online copies of journal titles.

Structure of sessionWe hope you have found this session useful.

Please reply to the feedback email which you will receive after the session.

If we can be of any further assistance please contact us: judy.reading@ouls.ox.ac.uk cesar.pimenta@ouls.ox.ac.uk

You may also wish to contact your subject librarian for assistance see http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/collections/librarians

Further training sessions may be of interest to you – for details go to: http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/services/information_skills