Transcript Database Searching - Durham University

Key Skills – Library Research
David Sowerbutts
[email protected]
Note
In this Powerpoint presentation the symbol
∞
indicates a hyperlink to the service
mentioned or to a description of it
Key Skills – Library Research

“Able to research appropriate
periodicals, websites, books and other
references to draw together the required
information”
The Library’s Electronic Resources
Almost all of the Library’s electronic
resources can be accessed from off site
via the Library web pages
 For electronic journals start from the
Library OPAC
 If prompted for a password use your ITS
login rather than an ATHENS password
unless other instructions are given

ConneXions

Introduced during Summer 2004
 Develops links between Library OPAC and
bibliographic databases
 Provides links from many of these databases
to full text (where available)
Types of Material
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Periodicals – printed and electronic
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Websites
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Google - try the Advanced Search screen ∞
Google Scholar (under development) ∞
Vivisimo (http://vivisimo.com) ∞
Gateways
Books
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Abstracts and Indexes (Bibliographic Databases)
Abstracts and Indexes (Bibliographic Databases)
Library catalogues ∞
Newspapers
Data Sources
“Grey literature”
Databases (v. Internet)
Peer-reviewed Material
 Restricted access
 Covers print as well as electronic
(usually)
 More sophisticated searching

Internet (v. Databases)
Generally, not evaluated
 Electronic/digitised
 Large number of items but some “quality”
material not included
 Difficult to assess results of searches
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Understanding Databases
Subject Scope
 Inclusivity
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Number of sources
 Type of material
 Level of material
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Date range
 Geographical bias
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Understanding Databases
Search defaults
 Features provided
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Abstracts?
 Option to create subsets?
 Printing/Saving/E-mailing?
 Links to full text?
 Links to local catalogue?
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Remember to use the help screens
Databases: Getting Started

Library home page
http://www.dur.ac.uk/library/ ∞
 click on Databases
 or use Subject Information pages for
Economics or Business ∞
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Database Searching
Keyword
 Hierarchical Structure
 Coded Concepts
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Keyword
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Random
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Scope
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matches patterns not concepts
Title only
Abstract
Full text
Syntax
Semantics
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Ambiguities
Alternatives
Language problems
Keyword
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Truncation (Stemming)
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Aggress*
Word combination
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Usually Boolean
Boolean Searching
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Syntax
Similar to formula in Mathematics
 BUT symbols not used as consistently
 BUT “default” values vary between
databases
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Boolean Searching
AND
 OR
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Either and Both
NOT
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To be used only with care
Word Combination Defaults
Interest Rate*
may be searched as
Interest and rate* (e.g. Library OPAC)
Interest or rate* (e.g. some search
engines)
Interest rate* (e.g. Web of Science)
Adjacency and Proximity
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Adjacency
Phrase searching
 Words next to each other
 “same” and “sent”
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Proximity
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Words within a given distance
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Silence w3 lambs
Semantics
Ambiguities
 Alternatives
 The whole and parts
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Public sector employees
Excluding meanings
 Language problems
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Romans; Email
Semantics
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“Where would I find information on
currency?”
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“I want some articles on operations to
cure problems of the teeth”
Refining Searches
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Financ* and Asia* not (Burm* or
Myanmar)
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Racis* and Polic* not (London or
Metropol*)
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Racis* and (Police or Policing) not
(London or Metropol*)
Refining Searches
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Truncation (stemming)
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Wildcard
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Econom*
Economic behavi*r
Wildcard and truncation
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Econom* and Tan?an*
(Examples from Web of Science)
Citation Searching
SCHULTZ, T.: Declining economic
importance of agricultural land. Econ. j.
61,1951,725-740
Pre-dates Web of Science
 BUT Web of Science can be used to
trace subsequent references to it and
thus find more recent research on the
same topic
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Hierarchical Structure
Economics
Financial Economics
Taxes and Taxation
Consumer taxes
V.A.T.
Coded Concepts

Usually a notation for a hierarchical
structure
Arrangement of books in a Library
 Application to databases (e.g. EconLit)
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Internet Gateways/Portals
Selected Unrestricted Electronic
Resources
 Often classified
 May be evaluated/annotated
 SOSIG (http://sosig.ac.uk) ∞
 See also other links from Subject
Information pages ∞
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Newspapers
May include current debate on some
possible project topics
 Electronic archives for some available
from Library’s “News, weather…” page ∞
 Infotrac: Custom Newspapers provides
multiple title searching ∞
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Newspapers
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Lexis-Nexis ∞
“Executive” is a prime source for Financial
and business news
 “Executive” can also be used for major
overseas newspapers
 “Professional” is useful for UK regional
newspapers
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Data Sources
A selection is available from the Subject
Information pages for Economics ∞ and
for Business ∞
 ESDS ∞ is increasing its coverage of
major international datasets
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Simple individual registration needed (use
ITS login)
 Work through an access guide before using
the service
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“Grey Literature”
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Working Papers
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Sometimes available free via EconPapers ∞
or IDEAS ∞
Official Publications
International bodies
 NGOs
 Governments
 Often free on web site of organization
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