Virtual Reference Desk

 
 

Subscription Databases

America's Best Graduate Schools (full-text) Boolean searching is not available on this site and some top rated graduate programs are not included.

Associates Program Collection (EBSCO) (some full-text) - The Advanced Search screen automatically loads. If you do no know how to do a Boolean search, see Search Techniques. You can refine your search and get fewer results by using the tools in the left and right menu bars.

Atomic Learning (full-text) Web-based software training for more than 100 applications students and educators use every day.

Cambridge Companions (full-text) Includes The Cambridge Companion to the African American Novel in addition to other Companions relevant to African American literature. The advanced search allows Boolean searches in the "Full text" field. If you do not know how to do a Boolean search, see Search Techniques. Be careful - the "Start Advanced Search" button is below the fold. You will have to scroll down to see it!

College Source Online (full-text) Click to the Advanced Search where you can search by Criteria or do a Geographic search. Under Criteria you can search by state, tuition, affiliation or degree desired. The Geographic search allows you to find programs in states or close to any city in the U.S. Unfortunately, the library staff has found many inaccuracies in this product, so investigate all claims thoroughly.

Communication and Mass Media Complete (EBSCO) (full-text) -The Advanced Search screen automatically loads. If you do no know how to do a Boolean search, see Search Techniques. You can refine your search and get fewer results by using the tools in the left and right menu bars.

Credo Reference - (full-text) Tremendous number of full-text reference volumes with many unique search options. Browse by topic, use a concept map, or an advanced search. You can also rank search results by relevancy, by results with still and moving images, and by those with sound files.

EBSCOhost Databases - (mostly full-text) On the follwing screen place check marks beside all the databases you wish to search. Click "Continue" at the bottom of the screen. On the left menu bar next to your search results you will see many options for narrowing your search.

Encyclopedia Britannica (full-text) is very simple to use. Please note that your search results will be sorted into columns. The information in the far left cloumn will be from Britannica. The next column, to the right, will be from Britannica's student encyclopedia which is geared to the use of high school students. Other columns will include The Web's Best Sites (these links will open a second window to Britannica approved sites on the free web) and Additional Content wich may include links to video, or other media.

Gale Virtual Reference Library - (full-text) Use the basic search box or click on the subject headings below the search box to access a specific text.

Grove Art (full-text) - Most searches will start at either Advanced Search or Image Links. Under Advanced Search Full-Text you will have three options indicated by radio buttons, located under the search box. Concept or Boolean will probably be the most frequently used options. If you do no know how to do a Boolean search, see Search Techniques.

If you need to find an image, use Search External Image Links. This option will take you away from the Grove site to sites that are maintained by art museums around the world. For this reason, the image links from Grove may not always take you directly to the image you want. Often, Image Links will take you to the home page of the museum that owns the painting and you will have to search that museum's site for the image you want.

Lexis-Nexis (full-text) - Allows you to search using natural language or Boolean techniques, which they call "Terms and Connectors." Notice that you can Select Source on the pull down menu below the search box. There you can search transcripts, law reviews and medical journals, to name but a few catagories of publications.

LRC: Literature Resource Center (full-text) After you click on the link at left, you will go to a list of databases at Gale. Scroll down and click on Literature Resource Center. Enter an author's name in the search box and click, Search. Writers who have been published for the first time in the past three years may not be in this database. Authors By Type allows you to select an author according to Ethnicity, Genre, Literary Movement, Nationality or Theme.

MasterFILE Premier (EBSCO) (some full-text) -The Advanced Search screen automatically loads. If you do no know how to do a Boolean search, see Search Techniques. You can refine your search and get fewer results by using the tools in the left and right menu bars.

NetLibrary (full-text) - is a collection of over 43,000 online books in all subjects. Search by author, title, or keyword. You may also search the full-text for specific words or phrases. The most important thing to remember about NetLibrary is that if you click on "View this eBook" that title will be locked up for 15 minutes UNLESS you "close" the eBook. Directly below the NetLibrary logo in the upper left of the browser screen you will see the words Open Items. Beneath Open Items you will see the word Current followed by the title you are viewing. To the right of the title, you will see the words, Close Item. You should always close the item when you are finished viewing it! Sweet Briar College Library shares all of our NetLibrary e-books with all of the colleges in the state. If NetLibrary tells you that an e-book is already in use, it is probably being used at another Virginia school. Wait and try that book again later.

In order to prevent problems in getting back into an eBook you are using, you should also always leave your eBook open in a separate browser window. If you need to go to other web pages while you are using an eBook, open a new browser window and do your web browsing there. Leave your eBook open in it's original window! If you need to leave the computer you are working on, it would be best for you to either "close" the eBook (if it is not checked out) OR (if the item is checked out) check the item back in before you close the browser window.

To move through sections of books in NetLibrary, click the words "Next" or "Previous" in the top right of the page. DO NOT use the greyed out arrows on the bottom of the screen. They don't work. No, we don't know why they are there. Please note that NetLibrary books cannot be downloaded due to copyright law, but individual pages can be printed. The advanced search on Net Library accepts Boolean operators. If you do not know how to do a Boolean search, see Search Techniques.

Opposing Viewpoints (full-text) Clicking here will take you to the homepage of our Gale datbases. Scroll down until you find Opposing Viewpoints. You can do an Advanced Search. Notice that your results are divided by tabs labeled "Viewpoints," "Reference," "Statistics," "Magazines & Newspapers," "Images," "Primary Documents," "Web Sites," and "SRC Search." Not all searches will bring up results under every one of these catagories.

Oxford English Dictionary (full-text) Enter your word in the search box on the home screen. Select a word from the results screen. On the next screen note related and similar words displayed in the left margin. Buttons at the top of the definition link to etymology, quotations and data chart.

Oxford Reference Online Premium (full-text) Great quick reference for defining concepts, word translations, country flags and timelines in a wide variety of studies. Just plug your search term into the Quick Search. An Advanced Search is also available.

World Almanac (full-text) - From First Search. The link on the left will take you to the generic FirstSearch search screen. Scroll down the pull-down menu labeled, "--Select a Topic or Database--" and set it to WorldAlmanac. This database offers full-text from Funk & Wagnall's New Encyclopedia, The World Almanac and Book of Facts, The World Almanac of the U.S.A., The World Almanac of U.S. Politics and The World Almanac for Kids.

Indexes:

Books In Print (citation only) - Allows you to search by author, keyword, ISBN or title exact. You may also search In Print, Out of Print or Forthcoming. You can limit to audio or video formats or browse by general subject. You can also sign up for an Alert Service here.

FirstSearch (citation only) - Enter your search terms in the "Search For" field. Then select a database to search. You can only search one database at a time. For that reason, it is better to use the scroll box to select a Database rather than a Topic. Use Jump to Advanced Search if you need to search on more than one keyword at once. To order an Interlibrary Loan from any of the FirstSearch databases, scroll down to the middle of the record for the item you wish to order and click the link next to this image: ILL.

Reader's Guide Retrospective 1890-1982 (WilsonWeb) - (citation only) On your list of search results, the Wilson Link button allows you to export citation to RefWorks. After you collect your citations from Reader's Guide Retrospective, you will have to go to Journal Finder to locate the articles either online or in Sweet Briar College Libary's Wick Storage facility. If you do not know how to do this, please contact Liz Kent (x6315), Joe Malloy (x6307) or Lisa Johnston (x6306) .

Ulrich's Periodicals Directory (citation only) - Use the Advanced Search feature to make use of the extensive options offered by this database. Individuals can register for Ulrich's Alert Service.

Reference Books in the Sweet Briar College Library

To find Reference books on your topic, connect to LION and use the Subject Keyword search field. When you find a book on your topic note the letters and the first string of numbers in the call number. Then go to the Reference room and look for items with a similar call number. Libraries do not send Reference materials through Interlibrary Loan, therefore no ILL request for Reference materials will be accepted..

RefWorks

RefWorks is a database that organizes your "works cited" to create quick bibliographies for your papers. It allows you to change your entire bibliography from APA to MLA style (or many other styles) in a snap, without fussing with formats or punctuation.

Just go to RefWorks. The first time you go there you will have to "Sign up for an individual account." Once you sign up and login, click on the References tab in the upper left corner of the screen.

On the drop-down menu tool bar choose "Add New Reference." On the following screen, start by selecting your prefered bibliographic style (e.g. APA, Chicago, MLA, etc.) Then designate the type of reference you are entering (e.g. journal, book or dissertation, etc.) under Ref Type. Field names marked with a red asterisk indicate required information needed to produce an accurate bibliography for the selected output style and reference type. Click "Save" when finished.

You can Import references from selected databases. Importing allows you to bring in multiple references at one time. Check the RefWorks list of Supported Databases to see which products will allow you to export multiple references to RefWorks.

If you have any problems using RefWorks you can check out their helpful online tutorials or download the SBC Library RefWorks Handout. Please call a librarian at x6307, x6306 or x6315 for a one-on-one training session.

Reference Desk Resources On the Web

 

If you have comments, questions, or would like to add a site, write to me.
Lisa N. Johnston (email: lnjohnston at sbc dot edu), Associate Director/ Head of Public Services, Sweet Briar College LibraryRevised 9/09.

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
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