Spotlight On MLA International Bibliography

MLA International Bibliography is a great choice for research in English and linguistics. This database is hosted through EBSCO, so you can search in MLA International Bibliography while also looking in other EBSCO databases like Academic Search Complete.  

MLA International Bibliography is maintained by the Modern Language Association which also creates the MLA citation guidelines. This database includes index or citation records for articles, books, websites, and dissertations in the fields of linguistics, literature, film, folklore, etc. The database will link to the full text of many sources, so you can access the full text. If you need help accessing the source you find, please contact the library. Using the filters for date and scholarly peer-reviewed articles on the right side of the results list will help narrow your search results.  

Other helpful features are MLA Directory of Periodicals and MLA Thesaurus. The Directory of Periodicals allows you to search for specific journal titles. If you know a specific journal or your professor recommends a journal this is a great place to find it. Once you find the journal, click on the title and then choose the “search within this publication option” to find articles from that journal. The Thesaurus helps you find the best search terms by giving you a definition of the term and guiding you to which terms the database uses to describe certain ideas. Finally, you can also use the Browse Works or Browse Authors options to find specific literary works or specific authors. These two search options tell you which search terms to use when researching a specific title or author.  

Check out MLA International Bibliography the next time you have a research assignment for an English or Language class. To access MLA International Bibliography, visit the library’s homepage and click the Databases, E-books, and Media quick link then scroll until you find MLA International Bibliography. If you need help with research or accessing a database, please schedule a research coach appointment.  

Spotlight On CINAHL

Calling all nursing students and faculty: we have a great resource for you to use! CINAHL is a top database choice for nursing research. You can find articles from over 603 nursing and allied health journals including the publications from National League for Nursing and the American Nurses’ Association. There are articles for nursing, biomedicine, alternative medicine, consumer health. You can even find health care books, nursing dissertations, standards of practice, and audiovisual materials.  

To access CINAHL, use the link on the Finding Articles page of the Nursing Research Guide, or find the link listed alphabetically on the Databases, E-books, and Media quick link on the library homepage.  

CINAHL is hosted through EBSCO, which means you can search in CINAHL and other EBSCO databases like Academic Search Complete simultaneously. Searching in both databases will broaden your search and make your searching more efficient. Use the Journal Subset field filter in your search and the term nursing to narrow your search. For help finding articles in nursing journals, visit the Limiting to Nursing Journals page on the Nursing Research Guide.  

If you need help while researching in CINAHL or any of our other databases, please schedule a research coach appointment or contact a librarian and we would be happy to help.  

Spotlight On Wilson Web Omnifile

Wilson Web OmniFile is a general database hosted by EBSCO, which means the user interface is the same as other EBSCOhost databases like Academic Search Complete. You can search in Wilson Web OmniFile while also searching in other EBSCO databases. This is a great EBSCO feature that allows you to search more efficiently.  

Wilson Web OmniFile will be a good choice to add additional options for a general database search. Academic Search Complete is often our go-to database, but Wilson Web OmniFile can serve a similar purpose. You may want to include Wilson Web OmniFile along with a subject specific database when you begin your research. Wilson Web Omni file has over 2,500 entries and many of them are peer-reviewed articles (written by experts in the field and approved by experts in the field). You will find information on topics such as art, business, education, science, humanities, and even technology.  

Search Tip: Try out Wilson Web OmniFile’s Thesaurus function to find the best search terms for your topic. Search for your topic in the Thesaurus and then find additional related, broader, and narrower terms. This can help you think of synonyms for your searching.  

You can access Wilson Web OmniFile by visiting the Database, E-Books, and Media quick link, then searching for Wilson Web Omni File or using the letter filters. Wilson Web OmniFile can also be found on several of our research guides.   

Spotlight On “Academic Search Complete”

Academic Search Complete, an EBSCO-hosted database, is a general database that the Union Library subscribes to. We call it a general database because you can find articles from many different subject areas, including sciences, mathematics, and humanities. Since this is an EBSCO database, you will find the search features and look of the site like many other databases. EBSCO allows you to search more than one database at a time. This is a nice feature because it makes your research more efficient.

Academic Search Complete starts you with an advanced search, which means you can use multiple search terms (topics or words to describe your topic). Academic Search Complete lets you filter results using date ranges, document type, location, publication, etc. You will also want to note the filters for full text (which makes sure you pull up full articles) and scholarly peer-reviewed articles (reviewed by an expert in the field). Many professors want peer-reviewed articles, so this filter can save you time and energy when searching.

I often recommend Academic Search Complete due to its simple interface and the numerous filters. Academic Search Complete pulls up results based on relevance; it also highlights your search terms within the record, so you know why that article was included in the results list. I also like being able to search in more than one database at the same time. There are some other great features in Academic Search Complete that a Research Coach would love to show you for improving your own research efforts.

Academic Search Complete is found on many of the research guides, but can also be accessed by going to the Databases, E-Books, and Media quick link on the library’s homepage. The databases are listed alphabetically- scroll until you see Academic Search Complete.

How to Download eBooks to Read Offline

The library provides access to thousands of eBooks. Many of these e-books are newly published, with up-to-date information about current events, which makes them useful resources. The e-books can be viewed through the library website online.

Sometimes, you may want to check out and download an eBook to read offline. Oftentimes eBooks can be downloaded for around 20 days before they expire from your device, and most e-books are multi-user (meaning multiple viewers can check them out simultaneously). However, a few are limited-user, which means that they cap the number of people who can view them at a time.

Here’s a simple “how-to” list for downloading e-books to read offline:

1. On the library website, click to view the e-book of your choice. Usually this link will say “View eBook” on the eBook’s information page.

2. The eBook will pop up in a database, usually one like EBSCOhost. On the left of the page, click the “Download this eBook (Offline)” link.

3. Create an account on EBSCO- it’s free! The prompt will say “Please sign in to your My EBSCOhost account to check availability and download.” Then you can click the “Create New Account” or sign in if you’ve previously made an EBSCO account.

4. Once you’re signed in, a window will pop up. Select the amount of days you wish to check out the eBook from the drop-down menu. Then click “Checkout and Download.”

5. Here’s where it can get a bit tricky. The eBook will then be downloaded to your eBooks folder on EBSCO. To download it to your device for offline reading, make sure that you have the suggested Adobe program, Adobe Digital Edition 4.5.7. It is a free download and will allow you to read the eBook offline. Do NOT click to install Norton Security if you are on a library computer (instead, uncheck the box and click next).

6. Give your computer access to Adobe Digital when prompted.

7. Click to download the eBook again, and it will open with the new Adobe software you have downloaded.

8. Enjoy your reading material!

*this guide was written for current UU students, faculty, and staff

 

UPDATE: Here’s a helpful tutorial, made by Jenny Manasco in our library: