This document provides tips for effectively researching using digital databases. It discusses accessing the Kansas Library Card and EBSCO databases, the differences between basic and advanced searching, and search techniques like using subject terms, Boolean operators, quotation marks, wildcards and truncation to refine results. Databases are recommended over general internet searches as they contain vetted sources and provide citation formatting. The document aims to teach students how to search efficiently and evaluate results.

1. Researching the smart way

2.  A digital collection of information: Examples?
 Examples
◦ AR
◦ PowerSchool
◦ OPAC
◦ Amazon.com

3.  Why not just Google it?
 Databases
◦ All sources have gone through an editing process
◦ Reliable and trustworthy
◦ Source citations are done for you
◦ One-stop-shopping for all of your information
needs

4.  How do you access the KSLC?
 www.usd250.org
◦ Schools
◦ Pittsburg Community Middle School
◦ Faculty and Staff
◦ Library Resources
◦ PCMS Library Website
 The Kansas Library Card

5.  www.kslc.org
 PIN
 Birthdate

6.  Learning and School Resources
 Middle Search Plus
◦ EBSCO

7.  Fast and easy
 Not many options to limit your results
◦ Limit your results: FULL TEXT
◦ Limit your results: Lexile

8.  Many options to expand or limit results
◦ Select a Field
◦ Boolean Operators
◦ Limit results
 Full text
 Lexile
 Dates

9.  All Text vs. Subject Terms
 What does All Text mean?
 All Text
◦ A word or phrase located in the text of the article
◦ Often produces too many results or irrelevant
results

10.  Subject Term: What is it?
 A word or phrase describing what the article
is ABOUT
◦ Searches only the CONTROLLED VOCABULARY
(words used to tag information in a database)
◦ Less flexible, but very relevant

11.  Always try a subject search first!
 If the search does not produce many results,
try All Text to expand your options

12.  To locate subject terms, click on the subjects
at the top of screen

13.  Use Boolean Operators to narrow search
◦ AND
◦ OR
◦ NOT

14.  Open and view
 Create notes with option to print
 Print article
 Email article
 Save to folder in EBSCO database

15.  What does it mean to cite an article?
 Cite an article—give credit to your sources
 Citing from Ebsco
◦ Export to Bibliographic Management Software
◦ Direct Export to EasyBib
◦ Save
◦ Import (without abstracts)
◦ Copy and paste

16.  Double Quotation Marks
 Wildcards
 Truncation

17.  Use double quotation marks to search for
exact phrases (exact order)
 Great for use with compound words
 STOP WORDS such as so, and, the, of, etc. are
never searched, regardless of quotations
 Examples: “heart attack”, “dog house”, “tree
house”

18.  Use for terms with unknown letters or
alternate spellings
 ?
◦ Example: calend?r
 #
◦ Example: col#r (color or colour)

19.  Enter the root word for the search term, along
with the truncation symbol (*), and the
database searches for all forms of the word
 Example: educat*
 Educate
 Education
 Educated
 Educating
 Educates

20.  Name forms of the following roots?
 Examples
◦ Read*
◦ Creat*
◦ Theat*

21.  Databases
 Accessing Kansas Library Card
 Creating EBSCO Account
 Basic Search vs. Advanced Search
 All Text vs. Subject Term
 Boolean Operators
 Citing an article
 Double Quotation Marks
 Wildcards
 Truncation