Researching: Searching Databases

Access library databases, ebooks, journals, journal articles, and streaming video from off campus.

Directions:

1)  select a resource from Databases A-Z or a Research Guide (ex. EBSCOhost)

2)  on the “EzPproxy” login screen

3)  enter your FalconNet username and password

NOTE: Your EzPproxy login is the same as your Campus Network login (FalconNet); also, your Canvas login and your Email login--without the @cedarcrest.edu. It is NOT your My CedarCrest login.

If you encounter a problem or need assistance email Cressman Library Information Services at libinfo@cedarcrest.edu. Email individual librarians to make a Reference appointment for help with research questions.

TIPS: When searching for books or eBooks search WorldCat Discovery, the library catalog. When searching for articles, though, especially research articles, start with a database like EBSCO instead. When you've developed a search strategy give a few other databases a try; ScienceDirect, for example. Take a look at the other Research Guides, too--find one in your subject area.

We have more details for searching WorldCat Discovery (the library catalog), the EBSCO databases, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar on our Intro to Databases Research Guide

Find a literature review article. A literature review article will provide summaries and evaluations of books, government documents, scholarly journal articles and other - significant - sources, all relevant to a specific topic; however, literature reviews will often cover just scholarly articles. Read a literature review to explore the breadth and depth of a topic and to further discover resources.

Sometimes a database search can be limited to a literature review, a systematic review, or a meta-analysis. In EBSCOhost OmniFile, literature reviews is a subject. Or, try "literature review" as a keyword.  For example:
 

("literature review" AND ("global warming" OR "climate change"))

Focus your topic:

("public health" AND ("global warming" OR "climate change"))

When searching EBSCOhost, use facets to focus your search, too.

Reminder: under Choose Databases, add databases, if needed -- CINAHL, for example.

Search Google Scholar from Databases A-Z or from a Research Guide so that your results will include Find It @ Cedar Crest links when the library has full text access.

Search E-Journals & Periodicals Publication Finder to find specific journal titles or journal titles that cover a certain discipline and/or to verify Cressman Library subscriptions, whether online or in print.

Before submitting an Interlibrary Loan, be sure to look up the journal title in E-Journals & Periodicals Publication Finder to verify whether or not Cressman Library has access there. Try searching Google Scholar before requesting an ILL, too.

To ILL a journal article, a print book, or an ebook chapter go to the Interlibrary Loan page for more information.

Modify your search using facets.

Facets are usually found in a column to the left of your search results.

WorldCat Discovery example,
limited to books, including ebooks.

Modify your search using facets.

Facets are usually found in a column to the left of your search results.

EBSCOhost example,
limited to Academic and Scholarly Journals;
also limited by publication date.

Controlled Vocabulary

Is it a descriptor or a major subject heading? Descriptors are derived from subject headings and are created by professional taxonomists/subject specialists/indexers and will be found in the database thesaurus. Subjects are often created by authors and abstractors and not necessarily found in a database thesaurus.

Is it a major subject heading or is it a minor subject heading? A subject heading is major when it describes the main focus of the article. A subject heading is minor when the subject content is discussed in the article to some degree, but the main focus and content of the article is on a different subject.

Databases will often provide a thesaurus that can be browsed or searched to help you determine your search terms. For example, look for the thesaurus when you are searching any one of these databases, ERIC, EBSCOhost Education Full Text, EBSCOhost CINAHL, and EBSCOhost PsycINFO.