Linda Robertson

lmr@soton.ac.ukHartley Library

Biological SciencesTechniques in searching bibliographic databases

Today’s Objectives

By the end of the session you willbe able to: Develop a thorough search strategy

to interrogate a bibliographic database

Identify journal articles available from the Library

Obtain a permanent record of your search results

Complete the BlackBoard test

Why is this important?

Literature searching/information handling skills are essential tools for your academic career

These skills will be useful for any essay or project work through the rest of your degree course

Which database?

Web of Science– excellent all-

round database

BIOSIS Previews– world’s leading

life sciences database

CAB Abstracts– includes human

nutrition

Pubmed Entrez– genome,

structure and sequence data

MEDLINE– world’s leader

for medicine

More information

For more information about these and other databases:

– www.soton.ac.uk/library/subjects/sbs/

databases.html

– 'Which Database?' leaflet, available from the Library

Go to the 'Subjects' section

Go to the 'Subjects' section

You can go to any of these links for subjects in the School of Biological Sciences

You can go to any of these links for subjects in the School of Biological Sciences

Now go to the link for 'Databases and indexes'

Now go to the link for 'Databases and indexes'

Here you’ll find information about some relevant databases – the main ones are at the top of the screen

Here you’ll find information about some relevant databases – the main ones are at the top of the screen

Click on the link for 'Web of Science'

Click on the link for 'Web of Science'

Click on the button to access 'Web of Knowledge'

Click on the button to access 'Web of Knowledge'

This is the home page. Web of Knowledge covers several databases. Click the tab to see these….

This is the home page. Web of Knowledge covers several databases. Click the tab to see these….

… or go directly to Web of Science… or go directly to Web of Science

This is the main search page for the Web of Science

This is the main search page for the Web of Science

Enter the search 'habitat disturbance'Enter the search 'habitat disturbance'

A simple search will usually yield a large number of 'hits'A simple search will usually yield a large number of 'hits'

To view the details of one of these articles, click on the title

To view the details of one of these articles, click on the title

Click on the TDNet button to check access to full text

Click on the TDNet button to check access to full text

There is online access…

There is online access…

Click on the publisher link to go to the articleClick on the publisher link to go to the article

…but no catalogue link, so print version unlikely…but no catalogue link, so print version unlikely

This link goes directly to the full text of the article

This link goes directly to the full text of the article

Click on the 'PDF' link to retrieve the full article in print layout

Click on the 'PDF' link to retrieve the full article in print layout

To find an article

Use the database to search for information on your topic (Web of Science, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, etc.)

Identify relevant articles

Search TDNet or WebCat for the journal it was published in

If we have access to the journal, check that this includes the year/volume required

Search Strategy

Write a detailed, specific search question

Identify the concepts of your question

List alternative keywords and phrases– singular and plural forms– alternative tenses– British and American English spellings– American terminology

Include both narrow and broad terms

Search query:

– What are the implications of

trawling and dredging on habitat

disturbance?

Search terms:– trawling, fishing, dredging..– habitat, habitats– disturbance, threat, threats, destruction…

Question, Concepts & Keywords

Boolean Logic

Allows you to search for multiple keywords:

OR combines different expressions for the same concept– fishing or trawling

AND links two different concepts together– dredging and habitat destruction

In most databases, and/or are perfectly acceptable

Truncation Finds any keyword with a common 'stem'

Truncation symbol is commonly * or $– check each database for details of which

symbols are used, and for what purpose

otter* will find:– otter– otters

fisher* will find:– fishery– fisheries, etc.

Truncation in Web of Science

Note: for Web of Science only: ? = one character:– wom?n = woman, women– organi?ation = organisation, organization

$ = one or zero characters:– behavio$r = behaviour, behavior– animal$ = animal, animals

* = one or more characters:– enzym* = enzyme, enzymes, enzymic,

enzymatic

An example search

Search 1: trawling fishing dredging

Search 2: habitat

Search 3: disturbance threat destruction

An example search

Search 1: trawling or fishing or dredging

Search 2: habitat

Search 3: disturbance or threat or destruction

An example search

Search 1: trawl* or fishing or dredg*

Search 2: habitat$

Search 3: disturbance or threat* or destruction

Search 4: Search 1 and Search 2 and Search 3

Search 1 is for 'trawl* or fishing or dredg*'

Search 1 is for 'trawl* or fishing or dredg*'

This yields 20,356 referencesThis yields 20,356 references

Return to the search screen to carry out the second part of the search

Return to the search screen to carry out the second part of the search

Now search for 'habitat$'Now search for 'habitat$'

This is a completely separate search, which has found 90,027 referencesThis is a completely separate search, which has found 90,027 references

Return to the search screen and carry out part three of the search

Return to the search screen and carry out part three of the search

Now search for 'disturbance or threat* or destruction'Now search for 'disturbance or threat* or destruction'

This time there are over 100,000 referencesThis time there are over 100,000 references

To combine these three searches together, go to 'Search History'

To combine these three searches together, go to 'Search History'

This shows all the searches carried out in this session

This shows all the searches carried out in this session

The searches can be combined as required

The searches can be combined as required

Mark these three searchesMark these three searches

Then choose to combine them with 'AND'Then choose to combine them with 'AND'

Click on the 'Combine' button to continueClick on the 'Combine' button to continue

468 articles mention all the keywords – click on the search result to view them

468 articles mention all the keywords – click on the search result to view them

The default is to list references, most recent first

The default is to list references, most recent first

Narrow the search further by applying some limits

Narrow the search further by applying some limits

Find the options on the left side of the page

Find the options on the left side of the page

It is often useful to look at more recent results – so open the 'Publication Years' section

It is often useful to look at more recent results – so open the 'Publication Years' section

Web of Science covers material back to 1970

Web of Science covers material back to 1970

Select the last five years

Select the last five years

Click 'Refine'

Click 'Refine'

This makes the number of references more manageable

This makes the number of references more manageable

Work through the list, identifying any interesting articles

Work through the list, identifying any interesting articles

Look at the abstract to get further information

Look at the abstract to get further information

When you find one that is useful, use the TDNet button to check whether it is available through the Library

When you find one that is useful, use the TDNet button to check whether it is available through the Library

This one is available online, but not in print

This one is available online, but not in print

Go to the article….

Go to the article….

Some links do not go directly to the article, but to the journal homepage

Some links do not go directly to the article, but to the journal homepage

The article required was published in 2007…

The article required was published in 2007…

In vol 87, starting on page 208…

In vol 87, starting on page 208…

On the contents page, scroll down to find the article..

On the contents page, scroll down to find the article..

… and click on the PDF link

… and click on the PDF link

Read the article online, print or save it to read later

Read the article online, print or save it to read later

To use an article in any written work, it must be referenced

To use an article in any written work, it must be referenced

To obtain the details electronically, start by marking the checkbox of each article required

To obtain the details electronically, start by marking the checkbox of each article required

Then click on 'Add to Marked List'

Then click on 'Add to Marked List'

Marked records will be identified, and the number of records currently in the Marked List shown

Marked records will be identified, and the number of records currently in the Marked List shown

Work through the entire list of results, identifying relevant articles, and marking them as you go

Work through the entire list of results, identifying relevant articles, and marking them as you go

If you navigate to a new page, WoS will remember the marks – alternatively, click on 'Add to Marked List' each time to force it to remember

If you navigate to a new page, WoS will remember the marks – alternatively, click on 'Add to Marked List' each time to force it to remember

View marked records at any time by clicking on 'Marked List'

View marked records at any time by clicking on 'Marked List'

Use this screen to save a permanent record of the marked records – either as a text file ….

Use this screen to save a permanent record of the marked records – either as a text file ….

… or export directly to reference software

… or export directly to reference software

Scroll down the page to see marked record details

Scroll down the page to see marked record details

Deselect any records no longer required by clicking the check box, then clicking 'Submit Selections'

Deselect any records no longer required by clicking the check box, then clicking 'Submit Selections'

Add extra information – such as the abstract – if required

Add extra information – such as the abstract – if required

Click 'Format for Print' or 'Save to File'

Click 'Format for Print' or 'Save to File'

click on the 'Log Out' button to close the window and finish the search

click on the 'Log Out' button to close the window and finish the search

Literature Review/Review Article Some articles are 'review articles' or

'literature reviews'

– Give an overview of a topic– Are aimed at people not so familiar with

the field– Give more background to the topic, and

explain concepts and ideas– Good for getting started, or keeping up-

to-date– To find, set 'reviews only' limit when

searching

Some journals focus on reviews:– Annual Reviews of…, Progress in…,

Trends in…

WebCat & TDNet

WebCat is the Library’s main catalogue:

– Gives details of which journals we subscribe to (print & electronic)

– Gives details of which years and volumes we subscribe to in print

– Does not include details of authors and titles of articles within those journals

TDNet is a catalogue of our journal holdings:

– Gives details of which journals we subscribe to (print & electronic)

– Gives details of which years and volumes we subscribe to electronically

– Does not include details of authors and titles of articles within those journals

Today’s Objectives

You should now be able to:

develop a thorough search strategy to interrogate a bibliographic database

identify journal articles available through the Library

Obtain a permanent record of search results

Try a search

Find information about the effect of oil contamination of oyster beds

Look for review articles published during or after 2006

Search terms

oil contamination, oil pollution, oil spill

oyster, oysters

oil AND (contamination OR pollution OR spill)

oyster*

To Find Articles...

Login to a bibliographic database

Enter word(s) to describe your topic

Articles that mention your words in the title, abstract or added keywords will be returned

Identify the most useful articles from the list

Check which journals the articles are in

Search TDNet/WebCat to find if we have those journals

Getting Hold of the Articles

'Periodical title' search on WebCat– Use journal (not article) title– Title keywords are ok, but not abbreviations

Or check TDNet– TDNet has a quick link icon on WoS search

results

Check both print and electronic holdings– The Library subscribes to about 10,000

journals– About 7,000 are available electronically– About 7,000 are available in print

Citing References

When searching:– Record full details of reference– Record how and when you found it

When writing up:– Write up references fully and correctly– Be consistent– Reference from the correct place in your text– Don’t reference sources you’ve not used

More information:– Library Website > Information Skills >

Referencing

Example Citation

In the text…– It has been shown (Terry et al. 2002)

…

In the reference…– Terry, M. J., Linley, P. J., Kohchi, T.

2002. Making light of it: The role of plant haem oxygenases in phytochrome chromophore synthesis. Biochemical Society Transactions. 30 (4): 604-609.

Further Help

Linda RobertsonBiomedical Sciences Librarian

Hartley Librarylmr@soton.ac.uk