MySearch is a portal that allows users to search 12 of the library's databases simultaneously, providing access to a vast range of resources. It also searches the library's book collection. The document provides information on how to access MySearch, the databases included in it, and how to refine searches within individual databases to find full-text journal articles and books for research assignments.

1. MySearch
Our Library subscribes to many useful databases and MySearch is the entry point
(portal) for searching 12 of these, giving you quick and easy access to a vast range
of resources. Additionally, it also searches for books from the Library collection.
What is MySearch?

2. Where to find MySearch

3. Where to find MySearch
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You can find the MySearch
portal on the research
guides for each assignment.
You can also find it on
each of our subject-specific
eResources pages.
Where to find MySearch

4. Make sure you are signed in to
MyGrammar before trying to access
our databases.
If your login defaults to a screen like
this, choose ‘Institutional Login’ and
you should then be redirected via SSO
login.
Access from home

5. 12 databases included in MySearch

6. Other databases BGS subscribes to

7. Easily switch to other databases
Easily switch to other databases
In your MySearch results list, you have
the option to easily switch across to a
different database which is not one of
the 12 included in MySearch.

8. Why can’t I just use Google Scholar?
Library Databases Google Scholar
• Allow users to focus a search by subject area or other criteria,
and to sort results according to date and relevance.
• Does not have the ability to focus a search by subject area and does
not have an easy way to sort articles in a results list.
• Contain the full text of articles in most cases, or links to a trusted
open access version of the article.
•Google Scholar is NOT a full text database. Results may contain a
mixture of sources (including citations, cited references and
books). Also, duplicate and fragmentary entries may appear, as well as
different editions of works, such as pre-prints, which may vary from the
version published in a journal.
• Allow users to sort results by type of material (academic journal,
magazine, newspaper, etc).
• Does not clearly specify what type of material (academic journal,
magazine, newspaper, etc) is in the results list.
• All articles have been checked to determine their suitability and
reliability.
• Not all articles are scholarly. As always, it is important to review and
assess each source for its authority and quality for your research
Source: Rider University Libraries, McQuade Library, Howard Community College
This is significant for your source evaluation.

9. Tick these source
types on or off.
Always choose ‘full text’
and ‘available’ options.
You can also adjust the
date range.
Refine your search
Our databases give you the option to refine your searches in a
number of different ways. Google Scholar does not do this. Great for History assignments!

10. Use an Advanced Search to refine your results even more.
Each of these options below gives a slightly different results
list so you could try conducting both searches.
Advanced searching

11. Some results will just give you
an abstract of an article, but
there are tools included to
help you find the full text or
similar articles.
Full Text Finder/ Similar Results Finder

12. Some resources may be located outside MySearch at open
access sites.
Open Access refers to resources that are freely available for
viewing and/or use, and many scholarly and peer-reviewed
journals have opened their back issues as open access.
Open Access results

13. The links to Open Access resources
are not always obvious.
You will need to look for the links
and keep following them until you
find the full text of your article.
Follow the links for Open Access

14. You can tag possible articles by clicking the
blue folder for each one. This will place them
into the yellow folder at the top of the screen.
Select and email these to yourself, or create an
account to save them in the folder.
Tagging articles

15. If you want to save or share the link to an article,
always use the Permalink as this does not change.
Permalinks

16. All databases accessed through MySearch will
also provide APA referencing details - however
you must double-check that these are accurate.
APA Referencing