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Database Help: Overview |
This Database Help web site was created specifically to help A&M-Commerce students and faculty learn how to use the library's databases easily and effectively. Knowing how to use our library databases gives you access to a wide variety of information, especially journal and magazine articles, that would be difficult to find otherwise.
For students, being able to use the library databases is often important (even necessary) for completing assignments. At other times, the information in a database allows you to improve the quality of your homework. Tired of coming to the library to search out and photocopy articles? You can even access full-text articles from your home computer!
The web site is divided into the following sections:
You can navigate around the Database Help web site using the table of contents (on the opening page), the menu at the bottom of each page, or the hyperlinks found throughout the site.
The short answer: Databases are simply tools that can help you find useful information quickly.
What is a database? In general a database is a collection of data, organized and arranged so that users (like you) can locate and make use of the relevant information. Databases are usually computer-based, because computers provide quick and easy access to large amounts of information.
Different kinds of databases available in our library include:
The library's databases are created and maintained by various companies, organizations, and government agencies. Some databases are provided for free, but most are not. The library pays yearly fees to these providers so that A&M-Commerce students, faculty, and staff can access the databases and use the information in them.
Most of our databases are available directly from the providers over the Internet, but it is important to note that these are not regular Internet sites. The library's databases usually contain high-quality information and electronic versions of articles found in reputable, well-known journals and magazines. Though many teachers ask their students not to use "the Internet" for their research, they usually allow you to use our Internet-accessible databases -- ask your teacher about this if you're not sure what's permitted.
When using the databases, you will be searching for information that meets your needs. Perhaps you need some basic information on a particular subject, or you are looking for the latest article written by a particular author. The library's databases offer a wide variety of search functions that help you pinpoint the items that you want.
Most of the databases allow you to search by the following:
Some specialized databases will also offer their own custom search functions, such as:
When available, these special search features will be noted in the individual database descriptions.
When you do a search in one of the databases, you will be given a list of records (individual items in the database) that match the search terms and limitations that you entered. Information you might find in a database record includes:
The actual information available in each record depends on which database you are using. Some offer full-text or full-image articles, and others only offer citations with subject headings and abstracts. There are also a few that only include citations, which is not much information at all!
An interface is the software that users (like you) work with in order to search a database. You may have noticed that many of the databases look very different from each other, and they allow you to do different things -- for example, you can email records from some databases, but not from others. These databases seem different because they have different interfaces.
You may also have noticed that some of the databases look the same! In these cases, different databases are available through the same interface. Our library has two different interfaces that are used for multiple databases: FirstSearch and Ovid. You can switch between many different databases when you are using FirstSearch, but they will all look the same and work in the same way because they all use the same interface. The same goes for Ovid: every Ovid database will look just like every other Ovid database.
There are some databases, like ERIC and Agricola, that are available through multiple interfaces. In both of these cases, the actual data in the database is created and maintained by a government agency. The agency then distributes the data to different database vendors, who give or sell us access to the data through their interface. ERIC can be used under FirstSearch, but is also available using the Ovid interface. Agricola is on FirstSearch, and is also available using a custom interface provided by the U.S. National Agricultural Library (who also produces the data).
Note: Although both versions of the database contain the same data, the different interfaces may offer different features and functions. If you have a hard time using one interface, you might have an easier time using another. You might even be able to search in some special ways that aren't available anywhere else.
If this web site doesn't answer your question, or if you need help with another library resource, feel free to talk to the library's reference staff. You can drop by the Reference Desk (also known as the Ask Here desk), or give us a call at (903) 886-5720. The reference staff is available any time the library is open.
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Jake Pichnarcik
Interlibrary Loan Department
Gee Library, Texas A&M University - Commerce
PO Box 3011, Commerce, TX 75429
phone: (903) 886-5719
email: Jacob_Pichnarcik@tamu-commerce.edu
Last updated September 2006.