This document provides tips for improving database searches and correctly citing sources. It recommends limiting searches by date, source type, and subject to find more targeted results. Advanced search features like "more like this" and subject headings can help refine searches. While databases provide citations, they often require modification to conform with styles like MLA. The librarians are available for assistance with searches, citations, and any other research questions.

1. Search
powerfully!
Find
information
quickly!
Document sources
correctly!
Secrets of Super Searchers: Advanced
Search & Citation Features in Databases
Kris Jacobson, GBS Library

2. Ways to improve your database search
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Select most appropriate sources in multi-source
databases (JSTOR, ProQuest, etc.)
Limit dates
Limit document types
Use keywords & subjects in search results to refine
keyword searches (see also Advanced Keyword
Searching tutorial)

3. Choosing Sources
If you know of particular
magazines or newspapers that
are good for your topic, use the
“publication title” search option
in the advanced search screen
and search for the publication
by name.

4. Choosing Sources
If you wish to search only scholarly and
professional materials (articles written
and selected by experts in their
fields), check the “peer reviewed” box.

5. Choosing Sources
In JSTOR, it is often helpful to limit
your search by an area or
discipline(s) of research.

6. Limiting dates
If you’re researching a topic where
more recent information is more
valuable than older information
(e.g., science research, current
events/politics, social issues), you
can limit your search by Publication
Date.

7. Limiting document types
You can also limit the document type to retrieve more targeted search results.
Choosing “essay”, “feature” and “front page” documents will ensure that you will
get in depth pieces and that you won’t get letters to the editor, book
reviews, obituaries, or paragraph long pieces. Your document limits (if any) will
vary with your topic and the nature of your project.

8. Limiting document types
Excluding “reviews” is especially
helpful when searching for scholarly
articles. Academics read and write
a lot of book reviews. In most
cases, you will not want to use
them, so it’s best to avoid them.

9. Modifying Searches
In databases, you can often modify your
searches right from your results page. No
need to go back to the search page and redo everything!
Here is a tool for limiting dates.

10. Modifying Searches
If you find an article is helpful and
want to locate similar ones, take
advantage of features that will help
you find similar articles. In
ProQuest, use the “more like this”
option:
Look for synonyms and related terms
for refining your search. In this
case, “out of work” is a possible
phrase to search along with our
original term “unemploy*”.

11. Modifying Searches
Don’t forget to use the subject
headings for keyword ideas or to
search using the subject heading
You can limit by source type from
your results screen in many of
our databases as well.

12. If you need a URL for your article
Most databases have links to
stable URLs at the bottom of the
article. Use these URLs to come
back to the article later; the URL
in the address bar is only
temporary.

13. If you need a URL for your article
Some databases have the
stable URL on the top of the
article.

14. Finally….Remember to take advantage of the
citation tools in the databases.
Make sure to choose
MLA style
Choose the “cite” or
“cite this” tool from
the taskbar
You may have to modify it slightly. For
example, the article title should not be in all
caps and you would have to slightly change
the date and drop the “n/a,” but the rest of the
citation is excellent. Look at the GBS Citation
Guides or ask a librarian for more information.

15. Sometimes you will have to modify these
citations a good deal
JSTOR citations bear almost no resemblance
to MLA 7. However, all of the information you
need to create a proper MLA 7 citation is
included. See the GBS Citation Guides or ask
a librarian for assistance.

16. Citation Tools
Some databases (more all the
time) allow you to export citations
to EasyBib .
Remember, you will often need to
modify the citation.

17. Citation Tools
Note the problems with the publication date as well as the need
to remove the N/a and the document URL.
URL not needed in MLA 7

18. Citation Tools
You may need to access the Citation Tools in
order to access the export function (this is
true of the Gale databases & eBooks).

19. Citation Tools
Note disclaimer about
citation formatting. It’s up to
you to make sure that the
citations are correct.

20. If you have any questions….
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Contact your helpful librarians!
Use our new chat feature (located on the main
LibGuides page) for real-time help during school
hours.
Visit us at the Reference Desk in the Library during
school hours
Email us anytime.