Help for E-Resources/Article Databases

Ask a Librarian

« Return to List of Quick Guides

Searching

  1. Select a database from the UW-Madison Libraries Web site.
  2. Type a word or phrase in the BASIC SEARCH box. Use quotation marks around phrases.
  3. Click on SEARCH.

Combining Terms

Use OR to connect similar terms. OR broadens your search.

Example: airlines or aviation

Use AND to connect separate concepts. AND narrows your search.

Example: airlines and accidents

Truncating Terms

Use * to replace one or more characters at the end of a search term.

Example: drug* (retrieves drug, drugs, druggist)

Use ? to replace one character within a search term.

Example: wom?n (retrieves woman, women)

Proximity Searching

Use w/# to find terms within a specified number(#) of words of each other regardless of the order.

Example: airlines w/3 accidents (retrieves airlines accidents, accidents involving airlines)

Use quotation marks "" around phrases.

Example: "airline safety statistics"

Combining Search Sets

  1. Click on RECENT SEARCHES in the Tools menu above the search box.
  2. Select OR or AND or AND NOT from the ADD TERMS TO YOUR SEARCH USING drop-down menu.
  3. Click on ADD TO SEARCH to the right of desired search set to add to the search box.
  4. Click on SEARCH.

Author Searching

  1. Click on the MORE SEARCH OPTIONS tab below the search box.
  2. Type the author's name in any order in the AUTHOR box.

    Example: peter drucker

  3. Click on SEARCH.

Journal Searching

To find a specific article:

  1. Click on the MORE SEARCH OPTIONS tab below the search box.
  2. Type journal title or keywords in the PUBLICATION TITLE box.
    (Optional) Click on BROWSE PUBLICATIONS to select a title from a list.
    (Optional) Type the title of the article or a subject keyword in the BASIC SEARCH box.
    (Optional) Limit your search by publication year and month.
  3. Click on SEARCH.

To browse a specific journal:

  1. Click on PUBLICATIONS tab.
  2. Type a journal title or keywords in the PUBLICATION SEARCH box.
  3. Click on SEARCH.
  4. Click on name of desired journal.
  5. Click on date of desired issue.

Displaying Search Results

  1. Use scroll bar to move through records.
    (Optional) Click on tabs to filter results by type of publication (SCHOLARLY JOURNALS, MAGAZINES, TRADE PUBLICATIONS, NEWSPAPERS).
    Note: Filtering tabs depend on the ProQuest database selected.
  2. Click on NEXT or PREVIOUS to display more records.
  3. Click on title of article or an icon (FULL TEXT, TEXT+GRAPHICS, or PAGE IMAGE - PDF) to display the article.
    Note: If there is no full text icon, click on FIND A COPY and then FIND IT to locate electronic or print copies of this item on campus.
  4. Click on BACK TO RESULTS to return to list of records.

Selecting Records

  1. Click in the check box to the left of the record for later printing, saving or emailing.
  2. Click on the MY RESEARCH tab.

Saving Search Results

Saving One Record

  1. Insert removable storage device. (i.e. flash drive, memory stick, 3 1/2" disk ...)
  2. Click on PRINT.
  3. Click on FILE at the top of the screen and select SAVE AS.
  4. Type your disk drive and filename with the extension .txt in the FILE NAME box.

    Example: a:myfile.txt

  5. Click on SAVE to begin downloading.
  6. Click on BACK TO ARTICLE VIEW and then BACK TO RESULTS to return to the full list.

Saving Selected Records

  1. Insert removable storage device. (i.e. flash drive, memory stick, 3 1/2" disk ...)
  2. Click on the MY RESEARCH tab.
  3. Select CREATE YOUR BIBLIOGRAPHY.
  4. Click on DOWNLOAD.
  5. Click on FILE at the top of the screen and select SAVE AS.
  6. Type your disk drive and filename with the extension .txt in the FILE NAME box.
  7. Click on your browser's back button to return to the full list.

Exporting Search Results to RefWorks

See Moving Citations from ProQuest Direct Databases into RefWorks.

Emailing Search Results

Emailing an Article

  1. Click on EMAIL.
  2. Select FULL TEXT or FULL TEXT-PDF.
  3. Click in the EMAIL ADDRESS box and type your complete email address.
    (Optional) Click and type in the NAME, SUBJECT, and/or MESSAGE box(es).
  4. Click on SEND EMAIL.

Emailing Selected Records

  1. Click on the MARKED LIST tab.
  2. Select EMAIL MARKED DOCUMENTS .
  3. Follow steps 2-3 above.

Beginning a New Search, Getting Help, and Exiting

Beginning a New Search

  1. Click on the BASIC SEARCH tab.

Getting Help

  1. Click on HELP for on-screen help.

For further assistance, consult library staff.

Exiting

  1. Click on HOME at the top of the screen to return to the UW-Madison Libraries Web site.

Databases Covered by this Guide

  • ABI/Inform
  • Criminal Justice Periodical Index
  • Dissertations & Theses
  • Ethnic NewsWatch
  • GenderWatch
  • ProQuest Historical Newspapers
  • ProQuest Newspapers
  • ProQuest Research Library
  • And other ProQuest Direct databases