Username/passwords are needed to access these databases FROM HOME. You can find the username/passwords:
1. on any printed Database Pathfinder or Media Center info pamphet (ask at Circ Desk)
2. in your student assignment pad.
Articles from these databases can be:
1. printed out
2. saved on your personal drive (My Documents) or flash drive
3. imported into Google Drive
4. Emailed to a personal (working!) email address.
DATABASES
Definition: A Database is a collection of articles, from many different sources, that are brought together online and can be searched all at once from a single search box. Users must pay a subscription price to access most databases, and can rely on the database articles being trustworthy and credible information.
Some databases are large, some are small, some are all on a single main subject, such as history, and some cover MANY different subjects. Some databases are historical documents, like newspapers, and some contain current issues of sources like magazines, journals or newspapers. Some databases contain video or audio content, and some contain primary sources such as diaries, transcripts of interviews, etc.
Databases are a FANTASTIC source of information for any research topic. It's important that you become familiar with how to effectively search databases so you don't miss out on a great information resource.
Database Searching:
Database searching can be challenging. Each database has a different search screen, and there are so many types of articles and subjects in multi-content databases. Finding that great, useful article can be tricky. Make sure you have followed the tips on choosing appropriate databases and good keywords above!
Database Features:
Reviewing the videos to the right: Database Features - Review and Database Features - New - Subject Search and Virtual Folders, and then using the database features described below can make your database searching SO MUCH easier and quicker! Databases are a great resource for good, reliable information - use these features to get to just the right articles for your needs!
1. Full-text: Using this feature removes any results that are just summaries/abstracts of the article and not the full article. For middle school, we really want the full articles.
2. Sort by: Sorting your results list REORDERS the list in different ways.
3. Limit by (Content) Type: This feature limits your results to a specific type of article, such as magazine or newspaper or journal or reference. It is EXTREMELY useful in helping you identify the type of your article so you can fill in the citation information correctly for Name of Source and Type of Source fields on your notesheet and in NoodleTools. Also, magazine articles tend to be longer and more in depth than newspaper articles, and journal articles are more detailed and targeted to people involved in that particular field. Knowing this and the type of article can help reduce the amount of searching you need to do.
4. Narrow by Subject: Every article in a database has subject "tags" associated with it. Most databases will display those subjects at the top of the article. This feature limits your results to articles on a particular subject that you select. This is a great feature for reducing your results list A LOT, and getting to articles that are primarily on your topic and so would tend to be very useful.
5. Virtual Folders: This feature helps you organize the articles you find as you are searching. You can "store" the articles you want to go back and save/email/read later into your "virtual folder." Once you are done searching that particular database, you can go to your virtual folder and review your stored articles. From the virtual folder you can delete any articles you no longer want, or email/save all the articles at one time. It's a great organizational tool! Note: Once you leave the database, your virtual folder is emptied.
6. Subject Search: This feature is useful if you are not exactly sure about keywords for your topic or are unfamiliar with the content of the database. You can type in a subject into the Subject Search feature and get back a list of all related subjects for articles in the database. By selecting one of these related subjects, you can then see a results list of all articles on that particular subject.