A brief tour of Academic Search Premier. Agenda: Agenda: What is a database? What is a database? Searching keywords and using truncation. Searching keywords and using truncation. Academic Search Premier demo. Academic Search Premier demo.

What is a database? A database is an organized collection of information records that can be accessed electronically. In the Library this includes indexing and abstracting databases, citation databases or databases of full-text journal articles. A database is an organized collection of information records that can be accessed electronically. In the Library this includes indexing and abstracting databases, citation databases or databases of full-text journal articles.

Also… A database is a collection of data which may be subdivided into different fields, for example: A database is a collection of data which may be subdivided into different fields, for example: Authors Authors Titles of articles Titles of articles Titles of journals Titles of journals Subject Subject Etc. Etc.

Databases at Brock Brock library has more than 180 databases available via the Brock website. Brock library has more than 180 databases available via the Brock website. Some have popular and/ or scholarly information. Some have popular and/ or scholarly information. Some are better for environmental topics, such as GeoRef and JSTOR. Some are better for environmental topics, such as GeoRef and JSTOR. Some are full-text, especially those available through Academic Search Premier. Some are full-text, especially those available through Academic Search Premier.

What is full-text? When the whole article is online, or included right in the index. You can just print out the article, instead of having to go find the magazine in the library and photocopy the article. When the whole article is online, or included right in the index. You can just print out the article, instead of having to go find the magazine in the library and photocopy the article.

It is also… The entire content of an item, such as an article, book, or encyclopedia, available in electronic format. The entire content of an item, such as an article, book, or encyclopedia, available in electronic format. Full text usually appears in two formats: HTML and PDF… Full text usually appears in two formats: HTML and PDF…

Academic Search Premier Demo Academic Search Premier, designed specifically for academic institutions, is the world's largest scholarly, multi- disciplinary full text database containing full text for nearly 4,650 serials, including more than 3,600 peer-reviewed publications. Academic Search Premier, designed specifically for academic institutions, is the world's largest scholarly, multi- disciplinary full text database containing full text for nearly 4,650 serials, including more than 3,600 peer-reviewed publications.

Journals include… Examples of titles offered in Academic Search Premier include: American Historical Review, American Journal of Political Science, American Libraries, American Sociologist, British Journal of Psychology, British Journal of Sociology, Contemporary Literature, English Language Notes, Family Relations, International Journal of Psychology, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Journal of Aesthetics & Art Criticism, Journal of Education, Political Science Quarterly, Journal of General Psychology, Journal of Genetic Psychology, and the Journal of International Affairs. Examples of titles offered in Academic Search Premier include: American Historical Review, American Journal of Political Science, American Libraries, American Sociologist, British Journal of Psychology, British Journal of Sociology, Contemporary Literature, English Language Notes, Family Relations, International Journal of Psychology, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Journal of Aesthetics & Art Criticism, Journal of Education, Political Science Quarterly, Journal of General Psychology, Journal of Genetic Psychology, and the Journal of International Affairs.

Using Keywords and truncation to Search Use as many concepts as possible to reduce the number of results Use as many concepts as possible to reduce the number of results Ex. If you wanted to find articles on hurricane season in a specific location then you would want to combine some keywords. Ex. If you wanted to find articles on hurricane season in a specific location then you would want to combine some keywords. Let’s use, hurricanes and seasons and climate. Let’s use, hurricanes and seasons and climate.

Boolean Logic Sometimes a search can be overly general or overly specific. To fine tune your search, you can use AND, OR, and NOT operators to link your search words together. These operators will help you narrow or broaden your search to better express the terms you are looking for and to retrieve the exact information you need quickly. Sometimes a search can be overly general or overly specific. To fine tune your search, you can use AND, OR, and NOT operators to link your search words together. These operators will help you narrow or broaden your search to better express the terms you are looking for and to retrieve the exact information you need quickly.

The And operator For example, type hurricane and seasons to find results that refer to both hurricanes and seasons. For example, type hurricane and seasons to find results that refer to both hurricanes and seasons.

The Or operator As an example, search hurricanes and seasons or climate to find results that reference the terms “hurricane" and “seasons", or the term “climate". As an example, search hurricanes and seasons or climate to find results that reference the terms “hurricane" and “seasons", or the term “climate".

The Not operator Our final boolean operator is Not. Our final boolean operator is Not. Type: hurricane OR seasons NOT climate to find results that contain the terms “hurricane" or “seasons" but not the term “climate". Type: hurricane OR seasons NOT climate to find results that contain the terms “hurricane" or “seasons" but not the term “climate".

Truncation. Truncation symbols are used to create searches where there are unknown characters, multiple spellings or various endings. Truncation symbols are used to create searches where there are unknown characters, multiple spellings or various endings. The truncation symbol cannot be used as the first character in a search term. The truncation symbol cannot be used as the first character in a search term.

How to use truncation Truncation is represented by an asterisk (*). To use truncation, enter the root of a search term and replace the ending with an *. Truncation is represented by an asterisk (*). To use truncation, enter the root of a search term and replace the ending with an *. For example: Hurricanes could become Hurrican* For example: Hurricanes could become Hurrican* Seasons could become Season* Seasons could become Season* And Climate could become Climat* And Climate could become Climat*

Remember when….? Earlier when we searched Hurricanes and seasons and climate, this is what our results looked like… Earlier when we searched Hurricanes and seasons and climate, this is what our results looked like…

Let’s see….. What our results look like when we truncate our terms… What our results look like when we truncate our terms… Hurricanes Hurricanes Season* Season* Climat* Climat*

How to search Academic Search Premier