Help for E-Resources/Article Databases

Ask a Librarian

« Return to List of Quick Guides

Searching

  1. Select one of the ABC-CLIO databases from the E-Resource Gateway
  2. Click on ADVANCED.
  3. Type a word or phrase in the KEYWORD box. Use quotation marks around phrases.
  4. Click on SEARCH.

Combining Terms

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

    Example: famine or hunger

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

    Example: famine and potato

  • If using and or or in the same search statement, put the or in parentheses.

    Example: potato and (famine or hunger)

Truncating Terms

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

    Example: comput*
    Retrieves: compute, computer, computing

  • Use ? to replace one character within a search term

    Example: r?mania
    Retrieves: rumania, romania

Proximity Searching

  • Use quotation marks to find words next to each other in that order.

    Example: "great depression"

Combining Search Sets

  1. Go to SEARCH HISTORY below search boxes.
  2. Click in the box to the left of the desired search sets to combine.
  3. Click on SEARCH.

Author Searching

  1. Click on ADVANCED.
  2. Click on book icon to the right of the AUTHORS/EDITORS box.
  3. Type last name, first name (or first initial) in the FIND TERMS box.

    Example: tuchman barbara

  4. Click on FIND TERMS to display index of names.
  5. Click checkbox next to each appropriate name.
  6. Click on ADD CHECKED TERMS TO YOUR SEARCH.
  7. Click on SEARCH.

Journal Searching

To browse a journal:

  1. Click on ADVANCED.
  2. Click in the JOURNAL NAMES box and type the journal title.
  3. (Optional) Click on book icon to the right of the JOURNAL NAMES box to browse the database's journal index. Click on checkbox next to appropriate journal title. Click on ADD CHECKED TERMS TO YOUR SEARCH
  4. Click on SEARCH.

Displaying Search Results

  1. Use the scroll bar to move through records on the page.
  2. Click on NEXT GROUP or PREVIOUS GROUP to move to the next or previous group of 25 short records.
  3. Click on RECORD next to EXPAND to display the full citation, including the abstract.
  4. Click on the link provided in the field FULL TEXT to display the full text of the article, if available.
  5. If there is no full text link, click on FIND IT to locate the item electronically, on campus, or to request document delivery.

Selecting Records

Click in the box next to CHECK TO ADD TO PERSONAL LIST to mark it for later printing , saving, emailing,  or exporting.

Saving Search Results

  1. Insert a removable storage device (e.g. flash drive).
  2. Click on EXPORT OPTIONS in the navigation bar.
  3. Select desired settings.
  4. Click on EXPORT RECORDS.
  5. Click on CLICK HERE TO DISPLAY [SPECIFIED] OUTPUT.
  6. Click on FILE and select SAVE AS from the drop-down menu.
  7. Type the disk drive letter, the filename, and the extension in the File Name box.

    Example: a:myfile.txt
    Example: a:myfile.html

  8. Click on Save.

Exporting Search Results to RefWorks

See Moving Citations from ABC-CLIO databases into RefWorks

Emailing Search Results

Emailing one record:

  1. Type desired address in the E-MAIL TO box provided in the specific citation.
  2. Click on EMAIL TO.

Emailing multiple records:

  1. Click on EXPORT OPTIONS in the navigation bar.
  2. Select desired settings and click in the circle next to the preferred E-MAIL option.
  3. Type complete email address in TO: box.
  4. Click on SEND.

Beginning a New Search, Getting Help, and Exiting

  1. Click on NEW SEARCH.

Getting Help

  1. Click on HELP for on-screen help.
  2. For further assistance, consult library staff.

Exiting

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

Databases Covered by this Guide

  • America: History and Life
  • Historical Abstracts
  • ... and other ABC-CLIO databases