When searching for scholarly documents, researchers often stick with the same familiar handful of databases. Yet, just beyond these limited horizons lie dozens of alternatives with which they could search more effectively, whether for quick lookups or thorough searches in systematic reviews or meta-analyses. Searchsmart.org is a free website that…

The core duties of the reference librarian inherently mandate that the work environment is not unlike a kaleidoscope: Students and faculty revolve within and around the library, and reference and public services workers do the same; every move temporarily redesigning the library, its collections, and even its very role on campus into something…

Every year, thousands of history teachers nationwide stand before their students describing the evils of using an open source encyclopedia for research projects. The teachers warn of lower grades and a general unfulfilled life for any student who uses Wikipedia in a research bibliography. Yet those same students who listen to the fiery words and…

Medical and health sciences libraries have incorporated the elements of evidence-based practice (EBP) into their reference services, instruction, and online resource development for years. While EBP focuses on the use of medical and health sciences literature in the clinical environment (i.e., making decisions about how to treat a particular…

The recent introduction of Google Scholar has renewed hope that someday a powerful research tool will bring continuing education literature more quickly, freely, and completely to one's computer. The authors suggest that using Google Scholar with other traditional search methods will narrow the research gap between what is discoverable and…

Many students cannot discriminate between posts that are accurate and attributable and those that are undocumented and misleading. This fact leads teachers to limit online research to subscription services like netTrekker or Web directories like Awesome Library. While sites like these certainly play an important role in the classroom, there…

The absence of a central database and use of specialized language hinder nonexperts in becoming familiar with the science teaching and learning literature and using it to inform their work. The challenge of locating articles related to a specific question or problem, coupled with the difficulty of comprehending findings based on a variety of…

This second of a three-part series compares search features (i.e., truncation symbols, boolean operators, proximity operators, phrase searching, save searches) of two databases providing legal information. Search tips concerning charges and effective searching and tables listing functions of commands and proximity operators for both databases are…

Despite the hype, the Internet has limitations as a reference tool. This article discusses the use of the Internet as a reference tool, examines bibliographic structure on the Internet (online directories, search engines, site structure, categorization of reference tools, levels of structuring), and argues the Internet provides no comprehensive…

The number of history reference works has proliferated at a tremendous rate in the past few decades. The effective use of these tools is one of the most important research skills of the historian. Bibliographies should be understood as more than just books that list books. The design and workings of these tools are meant to influence search…

This paper describes online newsmedia databases which have been intentionally designed to respond to needs for information that is more current than the information in printed indexes or online versions of these indexes. It is suggested that these databases are useful to libraries because, in addition to subject indexing, they have "word…

Describes features of a new type of chemical database which provides the ability to search for substances sharing particular structural characteristics. Search concepts are examined in detail, and menu selection of "screens," system commands, and interpretation of results (which appear in the form of chemical bond structures) are…

Background: Efficient library searches for research evidence are critical to practitioners who wish to engage in evidence-based practice (EBP) as well as researchers who seek to develop systematic reviews. Aims: This review will propose the benefits of the search technique "Pearl Growing" ("Traditional Pearl Growing") as well…

As part of a comprehensive review and analysis of research about the division of labor in higher education, a university library computer system was used to search the ERIC Index, Sociological Abstracts, and Psychological Abstracts. The purpose of these experimental searches was to determine whether online access to computer-held social science…

Explores the current status of technological support for qualitative research. Describes the development of computer programs that support the qualitative process. Focuses on Metamorph, an innovative text-retrieval software tool that quickly scans documents, manuals, and unstructured records to find information. (KS)