How to use online databases for research purposes? UIC library

Part I: Route to the task Definitions  Catalogue: a complete list of things, usually arranged systematically. For example:

Part I: Route to the task Definitions  Index: an alphabetical listing of names and topics along with page numbers where they are discussed.  Online database: A searchable, electronic collection of either full text documents or citations and abstracts. For example:

Part I: Route to the task Definitions  Abstract: an abbreviated summary of a research article, review, or any in-depth analysis of a particular subject or discipline, and is often used to help the reader quickly ascertain the paper’s purpose. For example:

Part I: Route to the task Definitions  Citation: information identifying a publication. Details usually include author, title, date of publication, journal title (if applicable), volume and page numbers. Also sometimes called References. For example: Lee, Philip R, Marcus Conant, Albert R Jonsen, Steve Heilig. “Participation in Torture and Interrogation: An Inexcusable Breach of Medical Ethics”. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics. New York: Spring Vol. 15, Iss. 2; p. 202

Part I: Route to the task Definitions  Full text: The entire content of an item, such as an article, book, or encyclopedia, available in electronic format.  Periodical: a publication that appears at fixed intervals, such as newspapers, magazines or journals.

Part I: Route to the task What online databases are available to us?  ProQuest databases: a cluster of databases (20) covering all subject areas.  Ebscohost databases: a cluster of databases (14) covering all subject areas.  CSA databases: a cluster of databases (15) covering different subject areas.  Emerald Fulltext: more than 150 journal titles in the fields of management and information science.

Part I: Route to the task How to get to the database?  Go to UIC website at:  Click on the Library tab  Click on the HKBU Library link  Click on the Indexes & Databases (A-Z) tab (There are different ways which help you get to the database you want to use.)

Part I: Route to the task How to login an HKBU’s online database  Your name: e henian (last name first, and then given name)  Your barcode: uic-06########  Your PIN (password): set up by yourself and can be up to any 30 alpha-numeric characters in length

Part II. The task itself Research topic: Is the war in Iraq ethical? Database: Academic Search Premier (one of EBSCOhost datatbases) Why choosing Academic Search Premier?  world’s largest academic multi-disciplinary database  full text for nearly 4,500 journals  including more than 3,600 peer-reviewed titles

Part II. The task itself Understanding the interface of the database  Search help: how to use the database  Three sections Different tabs: functions and purposes Search box: search terms Refine search: more targeted results  Reminder: different databases have different features; when confused, check with the search help

Part II. The task itself Search steps: analyzing the research topic or question – Is the war in Iraq ethical?  Major concepts or keywords: war, Iraq, ethical  Synonyms: war - armed conflict, ethical – moral  Boolean operators: (war OR armed conflict) AND (ethical OR moral)

Part II. The task itself  Truncation symbols: ethic* for ethics, ethical, ethically; moral* for moral, morality, morale  Other symbols: double quotation mark “###”, parenthesis (###), etc Concept (and) Synonyms (or) warethicaliraq armed conflictmoral

Part II. The task itself Basic Search: simply put in search terms with right Boolean operators, truncation and other symbols, e.g. iraq and (war or armed conflict) and (ethic* or moral*) Advanced Search: more guided, e.g. field search by determiners, such as AU for author, TI for title and SU for subject

Part III. Hands-on practice Reserch topics  What are the causes of global warming?  Reform of Chinese banks since 1997

The End