Tex Share Homework Help Lesson 1

Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Library Development

TexShare Databases Program

Using TexShare Databases for Homework Help

Lesson 1: The Search Process


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Reasons for using the TexShare Databases

Access to high quality, accurate information

Free Able to conduct focused searches using

limiters and expanders Has both historical and up-to-date

information No shelf space required Search many sources at once


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Portable information Print Save Email Copy/paste material Appropriate citations


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Supports educational standards for all students

• According to TEKS Standards, students are expected to – Generate research topics– Formulate a research plan– Collect information from a variety of sources -

including online searches.


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• Students are also expected to – Clarify research questions– Evaluate and synthesize collected

information– Improve the focus of research as a result of

consulting expert sources (e.g., reference librarians).


As a public librarian, you can assist students in meeting these educational standards.


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Lesson 1: The Search Process

Steps of the search process

1. Conduct a reference interview

2. Formulate a search strategy

3. Access the databases

4. Identify appropriate databases

5. Perform the search


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Conducting the Reference Interview

• Information need

• Purpose or desired outcome

• Type and amount of information needed

• Types of sources needed• The patron’s knowledge of

the subject

• Previous searching efforts

• Project deadline • Teacher demands for

types of materials, if any

• Final product – report, essay, debate, poster, etc.

Determine


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1. Interview continued….

Remember!

Communicate with the patron in a receptive and polite manner

Avoid using jargon

Make sure the query you enter into the database is free of spelling or other errors

Explain the search strategy and sources

Help to narrow or broaden the search as needed


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Try it!

• Information need

• Purpose or desired outcome

• Type and amount of information needed

• Types of sources needed• The patron’s knowledge of

the subject

• Previous searching efforts

• Project deadline • Teacher demands for

types of materials, if any

• Final product – report, essay, debate, poster, etc.

As a group, develop a list of open-ended questions which determine:


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Accessing the Databases

http://www.libraryoftexas.org/

• Integrate TexShare databases into your library electronic resource subscriptions.

• Offer patrons access to all electronic resources from a single place.

• Contact TSLAC if you would like your database descriptions added to the Library of Texas website.


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Accessing the Databases

Search Advanced Search Pick Collections to Search View Results View Items TexShare Databases Menu

1.Click Login link.

2.Fill in User and Password.

3.Click Log in button.

4.Click TexShare Database Menu


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Formulating a Search Strategy

Keyword

Phrase

Subject or Subject Term


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Try it!

As a group or with a partner, brainstorm a list of keywords and phrases; determine possible limiting factors.

Discuss your list and why you chose the words, phrases or factors.


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How do our Thanksgiving Day celebrations compare to those of the past? (elementary school)

Should Pluto really be considered a planet? (elementary school)

Should people be allowed to build homes in an area prone to natural disasters? (middle school)

How is geometry reflected in nature? (high school)How does the Electoral College work, and is it

necessary? (high school)

Try it!


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Selecting the appropriate databases

General Information and Periodicals Academic Search Complete MasterFILE Premier

Funk and Wagnall’s New EncyclopediaNet LibraryNewspaper SourcePsychology and Behavioral Science Collection Religion and Philosophy Collection


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Selecting Databases

Homework and Education SearchasaurusEBSCO Kids SearchEBSCO Student Research CenterMiddle Search Plus

ERIC - Education Resource Information Center Professional Development Collection

Teacher Reference Center Index


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History and Genealogy Texas Reference Center

World History Collection

Handbook of Texas

HeritageQuest Online

Texas Digital Sanborn Maps

Selecting Databases


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Health and MedicalHealth Source: Consumer EditionHealth Source: Nursing/Academic EditionNatural and Alternative TreatmentsConsumer Health CompleteHealth and Wellness Resource Center

Health Reference Center Academic Medline

Salud en Español

Selecting Databases


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Business Resources

Enhanced Business Search

Business Source Complete Economia y Negocios

InfoTrac Custom Newspapers

Regional Business News

Selecting Databases


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Books and Literature20th Century Poetry Collections

Contemporary AuthorsContemporary Literary CriticismDictionary of Literary BiographyLiterature Resource Center with

Scribner and Twayne’s

WorldCat

Selecting Databases


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Still can’t decide?Click on Complete List of Databases

Selecting Databases


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Choose a database. Click on more info

Selecting Databases


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Informational paragraph pops up.

Selecting Databases


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The Search Process


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The Search Process

Basic Searches • Contain one or more keywords or phrases. • Quotation marks keep words within a phrase

together when searching.


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Advanced Searches

• Search using keywords or phrases.

• May be narrowed by

Limiters– Narrow down the number of results

– Makes the list of results more useful

Boolean operators

Field codes

The Search Process


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Limiters in Advanced Search• Full Text• Publication date range• Publication type• Source type• Multimedia images

The Search Process


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Boolean Operators

…AND…

…OR… …NOT…

The Search Process


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The Search Process


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Subject Search

• Generates a list of publication types

• May show hierarchy of subdivisions

Subject Term Search

• Generates list of related terms

• May contain a scope note – how term is used

• May provide lists for broader terms, narrower terms, related terms.

The Search Process


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Try it!

Discussion questionsWhat were some of the controlled vocabulary words and

phrases?

Did any of the words or phrases seem as though they would help to narrow the results?

A parent wants to know more about learning for children with Down’s syndrome. The keywords she has been trying have yielded too many results. You recommend that she use a subject term search to generate some possible search terms to help narrow the results.


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Interpreting the Results

• Product: result list of articles • View the detailed citation/summary.

Use abstract Go to full text

• Limit or expand results?


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Citation

Detailed citation contains:• Article abstract• Source name • Document type

Article Book Newspaper Dissertation Other content

• Subject terms

• Use it!


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Narrowing, refining, revising

Narrow subject using Source types or Subject


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• Search the Subject Thesaurus

• Add limiters

• Use Advanced Search option


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• Too many resultsUse more specific keywords,

phrases, and/or subject terms

Apply limiters such as full text and/or date range

Use Boolean operators

Use quotations marks around phrases



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• Too few resultsUse broader keywords and/or phrases

Use different keywords and/or phrases

Avoid using plurals

Check the spelling

Use different Boolean operators

Remove some or all of the limiters

Use expanders



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• Irrelevant resultsUse different keywords and/or phrasesSearch in a different databaseUse the “more like this” feature



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Brainstorm and Suggest

As a group, brainstorm additional techniques for narrowing results, expanding results, and irrelevant results. Add the techniques to the above list.


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Viewing the Final Results


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• Click the article title in the Results list.

• Click the full text link for the article. This article can be HTML or PDF.

• Alternatively, click on the results page, click Full Text under Citation


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a. Print

b. Email

c. Save

d. Cite

e. Export

a. b. c. d. e. f. g.


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f. EBSCO folder• Create a folder by signing in

• Save material up to 18 months

g. Add


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Lesson Summary

Components and importance of the reference interview

Electronic databases vs web search engines or print sources

How to access all TexShare databases Search strategy: types of searches, database

limiting, basic and advanced search techniques Search: interpretation, refinement, and

disposition of search results


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Tex Share Homework Help Lesson 1

Education

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