10 Useful Functions and Search Tips from ECU Library Site

- Entering a few key terms you have identified to describe your topic will enable you to quickly search many of the subject indexes and retrieve a few references

- Some indexes allow you to search on the individual terms and get a result and then combine the sets using the operators

- Some databases use truncation to pick up variations of the terms used.
An * or ? is substituted for letters to broaden the search

- When the results of your search are on the screen, the next task is to read
through them and select those which seem to most support the argument you
wish to write about in your assignment. These results can be marked up for
printing or in a lot of cases the databases accessible on the web, allow you to
email them.

- Your results will generally be in the form of a list of citations and abstracts or
just citations and in some cases, full text journal articles. If you have a list of
citations or citations and abstracts without the full text, the next step is to check
the Edith Cowan Library catalogue to see if they are held on the library
shelves.

- Useful options to look out for :

Buttons or icons to return you to the results or marked list

Arrows which direct you to the next step

An option which allows you to modify keyword searches, by combining
searches with the operators AND or OR.

The list of graphics used in a full text database to describe the various
reference types: citation, full text, full text and graphic, full text image


-Most databases are web-based and can be accessed using the terminals in the library or elsewhere on campus, however, a number of these databases are also available for you to use at home. Choose one of the access options and follow the instructions on Off-campus access. Some databases are only available in the library.

-To access databases in the library you will need a megalab (computer) login and password. These can be set up using the SIMO online enrolment system

-Journals may also be available electronically through the Web and are referred to as ejournals or electronic journals.

-The library has a large collection of ejournals which can be accessed by doing a journal title search in the library catalogue or by searching in a full text database by keyword or journal title