Download Part I: Route to the task

How to use online databases
for research purposes?
UIC library
Part I: Route to the task
Definitions
 Catalogue: a complete list of things, usually
arranged systematically. For example:
Part I: Route to the task
Definitions
 Index: an alphabetical listing of names and
topics along with page numbers where they
are discussed.
 Online database: A searchable, electronic
collection of either full text documents or
citations and abstracts. For example:
Part I: Route to the task
Definitions
 Abstract: an abbreviated summary of a
research article, review, or any in-depth
analysis of a particular subject or discipline,
and is often used to help the reader quickly
ascertain the paper’s purpose. For example:
Part I: Route to the task
Definitions
 Citation: information identifying a publication.
Details usually include author, title, date of
publication, journal title (if applicable),
volume and page numbers. Also sometimes
called References. For example:
Lee, Philip R, Marcus Conant, Albert R Jonsen, Steve Heilig.
“Participation in Torture and Interrogation: An Inexcusable Breach of
Medical Ethics”. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics. New York:
Spring 2006. Vol. 15, Iss. 2; p. 202
Part I: Route to the task
Definitions
 Full text: The entire content of an item, such
as an article, book, or encyclopedia,
available in electronic format.
 Periodical: a publication that appears at
fixed intervals, such as newspapers,
magazines or journals.
Part I: Route to the task
What online databases are available to us?
 ProQuest databases: a cluster of databases
(20) covering all subject areas.
 Ebscohost databases: a cluster of databases
(14) covering all subject areas.
 CSA databases: a cluster of databases (15)
covering different subject areas.
 Emerald Fulltext: more than 150 journal titles
in the fields of management and information
science.
Part I: Route to the task
How to get to the database?
 Go to UIC website at: <http:uic.edu.hk/en>
 Click on the Library tab
 Click on the HKBU Library link
 Click on the Indexes & Databases (A-Z) tab
(There are different ways which help you get
to the database you want to use.)
Part I: Route to the task
How to login an HKBU’s online database
 Your name: e henian (last name first, and
then given name)
 Your barcode: uic-06########
 Your PIN (password): set up by yourself and
can be up to any 30 alpha-numeric
characters in length
Part II. The task itself
Research topic: Is the war in Iraq ethical?
Database: Academic Search Premier (one of
EBSCOhost datatbases)
Why choosing Academic Search Premier?
 world’s largest academic multi-disciplinary
database
 full text for nearly 4,500 journals
 including more than 3,600 peer-reviewed titles
Part II. The task itself
Understanding the interface of the database
 Search help: how to use the database
 Three sections
 Different tabs: functions and purposes
 Search box: search terms
 Refine search: more targeted results
 Reminder: different databases have different features;
when confused, check with the search help
Part II. The task itself
Search steps: analyzing the research topic
or question – Is the war in Iraq ethical?
 Major concepts or keywords: war, Iraq,
ethical
 Synonyms: war - armed conflict, ethical –
moral
 Boolean operators: (war OR armed conflict)
AND (ethical OR moral)
Part II. The task itself
Concept (and)
war
Synonyms
(or)
armed conflict
ethical
iraq
moral
 Truncation symbols: ethic* for ethics, ethical,
ethically; moral* for moral, morality, morale
 Other symbols: double quotation mark “###”,
parenthesis (###), etc
Part II. The task itself
Basic Search: simply put in search terms with
right Boolean operators, truncation and
other symbols, e.g. iraq and (war or armed
conflict) and (ethic* or moral*)
Advanced Search: more guided, e.g. field
search by determiners, such as AU for
author, TI for title and SU for subject
Part III. Hands-on practice
Reserch topics
 What are the causes of global warming?
 Reform of Chinese banks since 1997
The End