Finding information: Part 5 Using the Scopus database for Assignments and Dissertations. Susan McCourt, Elaine Shallcross and Janet MacKay 2011/12

Transcription

1 Finding information: Part 5 Using the Scopus database for Assignments and Dissertations Susan McCourt, Elaine Shallcross and Janet MacKay 2011/12

2 Outline Why use databases Why use Scopus? Search Scopus Refining searches Managing records Advanced features Register for advanced services

3 Why use databases... Primo what we hold (titles of books/journals) Database what has been published (journal articles) Bibliographic Links to full text material Full text Note: web pages not checked, may not be scholarly or academic

4 Why use Scopus? Large database covering science, technology, medicine and social science (not so good on arts/humanities) Over 40 million records, some back to 1820s Mainly research papers (journal articles and conference papers) written by academics Easy to use Simple search rules Links to full text and library catalogue Produce simple formatted bibliographies and direct export to RefWorks Lots of help available

5 Example assignment Comment on engineering failures that have occurred in space exploration

6 Comment on engineering failures that have occurred in space exploration Idea 1 fail* disaster* accident* a n d Idea 2 Idea 3 space exploration If I find too many references are there any extra ideas I can use to restrict results? e.g. names of specific disasters (shuttle*, Challenger, Columbia)? or

7 Boolean Searching Linking of words, phrases and concepts for searching in databases and the web OR, AND are main operators failure OR disaster disaster AND Columbia

8 Boolean Searching OR broadens the search - use alternative words AND narrows the search - more specific NOT cuts out unwanted items - use with care!!

9 Scopus Search Rules Boolean connecting words: and: e.g. lesion and pancreas or: e.g. kidney or renal and not: e.g. ganglia or tumour and not malignant Truncation symbol: * Write a keyword in singular form, and it searches for singular & plural forms: e.g. city finds city and cities Enclose phrases in quotation marks : e.g. space exploration Can use * in exact phrase search

10 Click on Add search field for more boxes

11 Quick and dirty search broad terms, little refining. Is there content?

12 Answer - yes Now improve/refine the search

13 Idea 1 in first/top box Idea 2 in second box Use the Scopus search rules and type in your keywords...

14 Big number! Don t worry... Can refine/limit your search by adding extra relevant search terms (keywords)...

15 Evaluate what you ve found change the display/sort order Default is newest item at the top. But which are the most relevant?

16 Refining/evaluating options Add extra keywords or different keywords Refine/Limit results by specific: Type of document (very useful for Review articles!) Subject area Journal titles Authors Years Change the sort order of results ( Sort by menu) Use what you ve found to move off into related papers

17 Click on Relevance in drop-down menu and order of results will change most relevant result at the top

18 Which have been used by other researchers? Sort by Citations (favours older papers)

19 Refine results: various options but limiting Document Type = Review. Can be extremely useful at the start of a piece of research

20 11 review articles (special type of articles = overview, summary type research papers) Skim read the abstract is the content relevant? Can you identify new keywords to use in your search?

21 Note: Full Text icon appears in this database when we have paid for the item in electronic format SFX service: click on Go to move out from Scopus to the supplier/publisher of the journal

22 ScienceDirect site: extra services e.g. Related Articles To print/download use the PDF option

23 Always acknowledge your source if you use ideas from this in your work

24 If no link provided to Full text use the SFX button to check the library catalogue (we may have it in paper format)

25 We don t hold this one see message in red text. Even 2.4 million does not buy us access to everything! Undergrads and taught postgrads: if we don t hold the item you are not expected to pay to get access to it (inter-library loan service)

26 A more successful result We hold the journal in paper format, but do we have it for the year that we need (2001)?

27 We do have this reference Library holds: 1975 onwards Location: Per 610 (at Medical Library)

28 Finding extra/different keywords to improve and modify your search results

29 If struggling to find results use one relevant/good paper: go backwards and forwards in time from this one paper Go backwards by looking through the list of references used by this author

30 Go forwards by looking through the list of papers that have cited (referred to) this paper since it was published

31 Managing results Can output relevant items: download items print, or download. Can produce a formatted bibliography of marked items

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33 If you lose your way or don t find items that are relevant look at your search history and then start a different/better search

34 Advanced services: Register for a personal account: have access to My alerts, My list, My settings save records, searches and set up alerts

35 Summary Use the Scopus search rules for best results Refine your results Manage your results using Output options Produce simple bibliographies Export to Refworks Login to save searches, lists and set alerts

36 Off Campus Access Technical Issues On-campus network is recognised by our suppliers. Additional software (utilities/plugins) often installed so that software works Off-campus you will have to: set proxy for full access to electronic journals Allow pop-ups for certain sites (e.g. RefWorks) Install extra plugins (e.g. RefWorks Write-N-Cite) Login using Shibboleth/UK Federation/Institutional Login Check out and

37 Help and Advice Help screens on Scopus website Library guides at Information Consultants Vodcasts (video-style demos IT Service Desk (IT access problems) Tel (also Out of Hours number)

38 What s next? Any questions? Worksheet Try things out for yourself Book on further courses Ask for help that s what we re here for Presentation available in MyAberdeen at some point in November