WRIT 1120: Research Workshop: Using EBSCO and other databases

Did you know?

BGSU's library subscribes to more than 300 databases.

Why do we need 300+ databases?

While some databases are more general in nature and include resources about a variety of subjects, many databases focus on a particular subject area. For example, there are business databases (such as Mintel, which includes reports about US and international marketplaces), psychology databases (such as PsycINFO, which contains research articles and conference presentations written by and for psychologists), etc.

How do I find databases for my subject area?

Hint: Use the "all databases" link on the library home page (bgsu.edu/library), then use the "all subjects" dropdown box to  select the subject area that fits best with your research project.

In many library databases, there are filters on the left side of your results list to limit by:

• publication date
• type of source
• and more!

Disclaimer: if your WRIT class attended a pre-search workshop and you've already completed the Generating Keywords worksheet, skip to the next box below.

How to talk to databases

You can type a sentence or question into Google and retrieve relevant results. Databases operate differently than search engines, so they require a different search strategy.

• As you conduct research in library databases, you are taking part in an ongoing scholarly conversation. Scholars and professionals often use specialized vocabulary that you may not use in everyday conversation. If you use different language than the professionals use, you may be missing out on a lot of great information. 
• Databases are more structured than internet search engines. In a search engine, your search terms can match words in the full text or the entire web site. In a database, your search terms need to match words in the data that describe the article such as the article title, the journal title, and the abstract (overview) of the article, not necessarily the full text.

Thus, we recommend:

• carefully select the key concepts from your research question and combine those as keywords to search in a database
• use the worksheet labeled 'generating keywords' to brainstorm search terms

How do I get full text? Try the "Find it" link first.

If you don't see the PDF or HTML full text of the article, use the "Find it" link on the left. One of the following scenarios may happen after clicking on "Find it"; the link will:

• take you directly to the article at the publisher's web site
• take you to the publisher's web site, where you may need to search again for the article title
• OR, you may find that we do not have a subscription for the article. In that case, you can request the article through a process called Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

3 ways to save your sources

1. Save a permalink

• A permalink is a permanent or persistent link/URL. The URL in your address bar is NOT a persistent link. Instead, look on the right side of the article's citation page for the chain icon labeled Permalink. Click it to make the persistent link appear.

2. E-mail

• Look on the right side of the article's citation page for the envelope icon labeled E-mail. Click it, enter your e-mail address, and click on "Send".

3. Download the PDF (best when using your own device)

• Look on the left side of the article's citation page for the PDF icon. Click it, then click on "Download PDF" in the blue bar at the top of the page. Name the PDF and save it on your laptop.