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Linda Robertson
lmr@soton.ac.ukHartley Library
Biological SciencesTechniques in searching bibliographic databases
Today’s Objectives
By the end of the session you willbe able to: Develop a thorough search strategy
to interrogate a bibliographic database
Identify journal articles available from the Library
Obtain a permanent record of your search results
Complete the BlackBoard test
Why is this important?
Literature searching/information handling skills are essential tools for your academic career
These skills will be useful for any essay or project work through the rest of your degree course
Which database?
Web of Science– excellent all-
round database
BIOSIS Previews– world’s leading
life sciences database
CAB Abstracts– includes human
nutrition
Pubmed Entrez– genome,
structure and sequence data
MEDLINE– world’s leader
for medicine
More information
For more information about these and other databases:
– www.soton.ac.uk/library/subjects/sbs/
databases.html
– 'Which Database?' leaflet, available from the Library
Go to the 'Subjects' section
Go to the 'Subjects' section
You can go to any of these links for subjects in the School of Biological Sciences
You can go to any of these links for subjects in the School of Biological Sciences
Now go to the link for 'Databases and indexes'
Now go to the link for 'Databases and indexes'
Here you’ll find information about some relevant databases – the main ones are at the top of the screen
Here you’ll find information about some relevant databases – the main ones are at the top of the screen
Click on the link for 'Web of Science'
Click on the link for 'Web of Science'
Click on the button to access 'Web of Knowledge'
Click on the button to access 'Web of Knowledge'
This is the home page. Web of Knowledge covers several databases. Click the tab to see these….
This is the home page. Web of Knowledge covers several databases. Click the tab to see these….
… or go directly to Web of Science… or go directly to Web of Science
This is the main search page for the Web of Science
This is the main search page for the Web of Science
Enter the search 'habitat disturbance'Enter the search 'habitat disturbance'
A simple search will usually yield a large number of 'hits'A simple search will usually yield a large number of 'hits'
To view the details of one of these articles, click on the title
To view the details of one of these articles, click on the title
Click on the TDNet button to check access to full text
Click on the TDNet button to check access to full text
There is online access…
There is online access…
Click on the publisher link to go to the articleClick on the publisher link to go to the article
…but no catalogue link, so print version unlikely…but no catalogue link, so print version unlikely
This link goes directly to the full text of the article
This link goes directly to the full text of the article
Click on the 'PDF' link to retrieve the full article in print layout
Click on the 'PDF' link to retrieve the full article in print layout
To find an article
Use the database to search for information on your topic (Web of Science, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, etc.)
Identify relevant articles
Search TDNet or WebCat for the journal it was published in
If we have access to the journal, check that this includes the year/volume required
Search Strategy
Write a detailed, specific search question
Identify the concepts of your question
List alternative keywords and phrases– singular and plural forms– alternative tenses– British and American English spellings– American terminology
Include both narrow and broad terms
Search query:
– What are the implications of
trawling and dredging on habitat
disturbance?
Search terms:– trawling, fishing, dredging..– habitat, habitats– disturbance, threat, threats, destruction…
Question, Concepts & Keywords
Boolean Logic
Allows you to search for multiple keywords:
OR combines different expressions for the same concept– fishing or trawling
AND links two different concepts together– dredging and habitat destruction
In most databases, and/or are perfectly acceptable
Truncation Finds any keyword with a common 'stem'
Truncation symbol is commonly * or $– check each database for details of which
symbols are used, and for what purpose
otter* will find:– otter– otters
fisher* will find:– fishery– fisheries, etc.
Truncation in Web of Science
Note: for Web of Science only: ? = one character:– wom?n = woman, women– organi?ation = organisation, organization
$ = one or zero characters:– behavio$r = behaviour, behavior– animal$ = animal, animals
* = one or more characters:– enzym* = enzyme, enzymes, enzymic,
enzymatic
An example search
Search 1: trawling fishing dredging
Search 2: habitat
Search 3: disturbance threat destruction
An example search
Search 1: trawling or fishing or dredging
Search 2: habitat
Search 3: disturbance or threat or destruction
An example search
Search 1: trawl* or fishing or dredg*
Search 2: habitat$
Search 3: disturbance or threat* or destruction
Search 4: Search 1 and Search 2 and Search 3
Search 1 is for 'trawl* or fishing or dredg*'
Search 1 is for 'trawl* or fishing or dredg*'
This yields 20,356 referencesThis yields 20,356 references
Return to the search screen to carry out the second part of the search
Return to the search screen to carry out the second part of the search
Now search for 'habitat$'Now search for 'habitat$'
This is a completely separate search, which has found 90,027 referencesThis is a completely separate search, which has found 90,027 references
Return to the search screen and carry out part three of the search
Return to the search screen and carry out part three of the search
Now search for 'disturbance or threat* or destruction'Now search for 'disturbance or threat* or destruction'
This time there are over 100,000 referencesThis time there are over 100,000 references
To combine these three searches together, go to 'Search History'
To combine these three searches together, go to 'Search History'
This shows all the searches carried out in this session
This shows all the searches carried out in this session
The searches can be combined as required
The searches can be combined as required
Mark these three searchesMark these three searches
Then choose to combine them with 'AND'Then choose to combine them with 'AND'
Click on the 'Combine' button to continueClick on the 'Combine' button to continue
468 articles mention all the keywords – click on the search result to view them
468 articles mention all the keywords – click on the search result to view them
The default is to list references, most recent first
The default is to list references, most recent first
Narrow the search further by applying some limits
Narrow the search further by applying some limits
Find the options on the left side of the page
Find the options on the left side of the page
It is often useful to look at more recent results – so open the 'Publication Years' section
It is often useful to look at more recent results – so open the 'Publication Years' section
Web of Science covers material back to 1970
Web of Science covers material back to 1970
Select the last five years
Select the last five years
Click 'Refine'
Click 'Refine'
This makes the number of references more manageable
This makes the number of references more manageable
Work through the list, identifying any interesting articles
Work through the list, identifying any interesting articles
Look at the abstract to get further information
Look at the abstract to get further information
When you find one that is useful, use the TDNet button to check whether it is available through the Library
When you find one that is useful, use the TDNet button to check whether it is available through the Library
This one is available online, but not in print
This one is available online, but not in print
Go to the article….
Go to the article….
Some links do not go directly to the article, but to the journal homepage
Some links do not go directly to the article, but to the journal homepage
The article required was published in 2007…
The article required was published in 2007…
In vol 87, starting on page 208…
In vol 87, starting on page 208…
On the contents page, scroll down to find the article..
On the contents page, scroll down to find the article..
… and click on the PDF link
… and click on the PDF link
Read the article online, print or save it to read later
Read the article online, print or save it to read later
To use an article in any written work, it must be referenced
To use an article in any written work, it must be referenced
To obtain the details electronically, start by marking the checkbox of each article required
To obtain the details electronically, start by marking the checkbox of each article required
Then click on 'Add to Marked List'
Then click on 'Add to Marked List'
Marked records will be identified, and the number of records currently in the Marked List shown
Marked records will be identified, and the number of records currently in the Marked List shown
Work through the entire list of results, identifying relevant articles, and marking them as you go
Work through the entire list of results, identifying relevant articles, and marking them as you go
If you navigate to a new page, WoS will remember the marks – alternatively, click on 'Add to Marked List' each time to force it to remember
If you navigate to a new page, WoS will remember the marks – alternatively, click on 'Add to Marked List' each time to force it to remember
View marked records at any time by clicking on 'Marked List'
View marked records at any time by clicking on 'Marked List'
Use this screen to save a permanent record of the marked records – either as a text file ….
Use this screen to save a permanent record of the marked records – either as a text file ….
… or export directly to reference software
… or export directly to reference software
Scroll down the page to see marked record details
Scroll down the page to see marked record details
Deselect any records no longer required by clicking the check box, then clicking 'Submit Selections'
Deselect any records no longer required by clicking the check box, then clicking 'Submit Selections'
Add extra information – such as the abstract – if required
Add extra information – such as the abstract – if required
Click 'Format for Print' or 'Save to File'
Click 'Format for Print' or 'Save to File'
click on the 'Log Out' button to close the window and finish the search
click on the 'Log Out' button to close the window and finish the search
Literature Review/Review Article Some articles are 'review articles' or
'literature reviews'
– Give an overview of a topic– Are aimed at people not so familiar with
the field– Give more background to the topic, and
explain concepts and ideas– Good for getting started, or keeping up-
to-date– To find, set 'reviews only' limit when
searching
Some journals focus on reviews:– Annual Reviews of…, Progress in…,
Trends in…
WebCat & TDNet
WebCat is the Library’s main catalogue:
– Gives details of which journals we subscribe to (print & electronic)
– Gives details of which years and volumes we subscribe to in print
– Does not include details of authors and titles of articles within those journals
TDNet is a catalogue of our journal holdings:
– Gives details of which journals we subscribe to (print & electronic)
– Gives details of which years and volumes we subscribe to electronically
– Does not include details of authors and titles of articles within those journals
Today’s Objectives
You should now be able to:
develop a thorough search strategy to interrogate a bibliographic database
identify journal articles available through the Library
Obtain a permanent record of search results
Try a search
Find information about the effect of oil contamination of oyster beds
Look for review articles published during or after 2006
Search terms
oil contamination, oil pollution, oil spill
oyster, oysters
oil AND (contamination OR pollution OR spill)
oyster*
To Find Articles...
Login to a bibliographic database
Enter word(s) to describe your topic
Articles that mention your words in the title, abstract or added keywords will be returned
Identify the most useful articles from the list
Check which journals the articles are in
Search TDNet/WebCat to find if we have those journals
Getting Hold of the Articles
'Periodical title' search on WebCat– Use journal (not article) title– Title keywords are ok, but not abbreviations
Or check TDNet– TDNet has a quick link icon on WoS search
results
Check both print and electronic holdings– The Library subscribes to about 10,000
journals– About 7,000 are available electronically– About 7,000 are available in print
Citing References
When searching:– Record full details of reference– Record how and when you found it
When writing up:– Write up references fully and correctly– Be consistent– Reference from the correct place in your text– Don’t reference sources you’ve not used
More information:– Library Website > Information Skills >
Referencing
Example Citation
In the text…– It has been shown (Terry et al. 2002)
…
In the reference…– Terry, M. J., Linley, P. J., Kohchi, T.
2002. Making light of it: The role of plant haem oxygenases in phytochrome chromophore synthesis. Biochemical Society Transactions. 30 (4): 604-609.
Further Help
Linda RobertsonBiomedical Sciences Librarian
Hartley Librarylmr@soton.ac.uk
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