Help for E-Resources/Article Databases

Ask a Librarian

« Return to List of Quick Guides

Searching

  1. Select database from the UW-Madison Libraries Web site.
  2. Type a word or phrase in the search box(es).
    (Optional) Change the SELECT A FIELD drop-down menu.
  3. Click SEARCH.

Combining Terms

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

Example: marijuana or cocaine

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

Example: drugs and sports

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

Example: internet n3 policy (retrieves policy on Internet, Internet office policy)

Use w# to find terms within a specified number (#) in the order in which you entered them.

Example: internet w3 policy (retrieves Internet office policy)

Combining Search Sets

Search sets may be combined.

  1. Click SEARCH HISTORY/ALERTS.
  2. Click boxes by desired search terms.
  3. Click either SEARCH WITH AND or SEARCH WITH OR.
  4. Click VIEW RESULTS.

Author Searching

  1. Click in the SELECT A FIELD box and select AU AUTHOR.
  2. Click in the box and type the author's last name and first name or last name and first initial. It's best to try both methods.

    Example: thomson james
    Example: thomson j
    Example: thomson james OR thomson j

  3. Click SEARCH.

Journal Searching

To find a specific article:

  1. Click ADVANCED SEARCH.
  2. Type article title or keywords or author in a search box.
    (Optional) Change the SELECT A FIELD drop-down menu to TI Title or AU AUTHOR.
  3. Type name of the journal in a search box and change the SELECT A FIELD drop-down menu to SO SOURCE.
    (Optional) Limit your results by typing publication month and year in DATE PUBLISHED FROM boxes.
  4. Click SEARCH.

To search within a specific journal:

  1. Type journal name in a search box and change the SELECT A FIELD drop-down menu.
  2. Type a word or phrase in the search box(es).
    (Optional) Change the SELECT A FIELD drop-down menu.
  3. Click SEARCH.

To browse a specific journal (only available when Publications appears in navigation bar):

  1. Click PUBLICATIONS in the navigation bar.
  2. Type a journal title or part of a title in the BROWSING box.
  3. Click in the circle next to desired searching option.
  4. Click BROWSE.
  5. Click on the name of the desired journal.
  6. Click the desired publication year.
  7. Click the preferred volume and issue.

 

Displaying Search Results

  1. Move through records on the page.
  2. Click on another page number or NEXT to display more records.
  3. Click title of the article to view abstract.
  4. Click HTML FULL TEXT or PDF FULL TEXT to display the full text of the article.
  5. If there is no full text link, click FIND IT to find electronic or print copies of this item on campus or to request a copy via Library Express.

Selecting Records

  1. Click ADD TO FOLDER or FOLDER icon to mark it for later printing, saving, exporting, or emailing.
  2. Click FOLDER HAS ITEMS to view list of marked records.

Saving Search Results

  1. Insert removable storage device (i.e. flash drive, memory stick, ...)
  2. Under FOLDER HAS ITEMS, click GO TO FOLDER VIEW.
  3. Click box by desired items or SELECT/DESELECT ALL.
  4. Click SAVE AS FILE icon.
    (Optional) Click the box next to desired choice under INCLUDE WHEN SAVING.
  5. Click SAVE.
  6. Use the browser Save function.
  7. Type the disk drive letter, the filename, and the extension in the FILE NAME box

    8. Example: e:homeless.txt
    Example: e:homeless.html

  8. Click SAVE.

Exporting Search Results to RefWorks

See Moving Citations from EBSCOhost databases into RefWorks

Emailing Search Results

  1. Under FOLDER HAS ITEMS, click GO TO FOLDER VIEW.
  2. Click box by desired items or SELECT/DESELECT ALL.
  3. Click EMAIL icon.
  4. Type your email address in the email box.
    (Optional) Fill in the SUBJECT box.
    (Optional) Click the box next to desired choice under INCLUDE WHEN SENDING.
    (Optional) Click circle by desired format.
  5. Click SEND.
  6. Click CONTINUE.

Setting Up RSS Feeds & Alerts

RSS & Alerts Guides: EBSCOhost

Beginning a New Search, Getting Help, and Exiting

Beginning a New Search

  • Click ADVANCED SEARCH.

Getting Help

  • Click HELP for on-screen help.

For further assistance, consult library staff.

Exiting

  • Click LIBRARIES/UW-MADISON at the top right of the screen to return to the UW-Madison Libraries Web site.

Databases Covered by this Guide

  • Academic Search Elite
  • Agricola
  • AltHealthWatch
  • America: History and Life
  • American Bibliography of Slavic & Eastern European Studies (ABSEES)
  • ATLA Religion Database with ATLA Serials
  • Biomedical Reference Collection
  • Business Books Summaries
  • Business Source Premier
  • Catholic Periodical and Literature Index (CPLI)
  • CINAHL Plus with Full Text (Nursing and Allied Health Literature)
  • Communication & Mass Media Complete (CMCC)
  • Corporate ResourceNet
  • EBSCO Animals
  • Educational Administration Abstracts
  • ERIC-Educational Resources Information Center
  • Family & Society Studies Worldwide
  • Family Studies Abstracts
  • Film & Television Literature Index (FTLI)
  • Fish & Fisheries Worldwide
  • Fuente Academica
  • GreenFILE
  • Health Source: Consumer Edition
  • Health Source: Nursing Edition
  • Historical Abstracts
  • Humanities International Complete
  • Index Islamicus
  • Index to Jewish Periodicals
  • Index to Printed Music
  • International Bibliography of the Social Sciences
  • International Bibliography of Theatre & Dance
  • Left Index
  • Lexi-PALS Drug Guide
  • LGBT Life with Full Text
  • Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA)
  • MasterFILE Premier
  • McClatchy-Tribune Collection
  • Mental Measurements Yearbook
  • Military & Government Collection
  • New Testament Abstracts
  • Newspaper Source Plus
  • Old Testament Abstracts
  • Professional Development Collection
  • PsycARTICLES
  • PsycINFO (Psychological Abstracts)
  • Public Administration Abstracts
  • Race Relations Abstracts
  • Regional Business News
  • RILM Online: (RILM Abstracts of Music Literature)
  • RIPM: Retrospective Index to Music Periodicals
  • RISM: International Inventory of Musical Sources after 1600
  • Social Work Abstracts Plus
  • SocINDEX with Full Text
  • SPORTDiscus
  • Urban Studies Abstracts
  • Wildlife and Ecology Studies Worldwide
  • Women's Studies International


    • ... and other EBSCOhost databases