Week 3- Online Libraries and Databases

Week 3 - blog 3 Friday 14th March 2008

Morning lecture: Using online libraries and databases!
Firstly we found out what they are!

Online Libraries:
Online libraries and databases are places where you store books, photos, diaries etc. On the Internet. They are sources for which you can research information about topics with 24/7 with easy access.

Some types of online libraries are:
• Online Text Repositories
• Online Journals
• Electronic Books
• Musical
• Artworks

Some advantages of online libraries are- convenience (Internet access at all times), currency (journals are up to date), electronic format makes it easy for making notes (copy and pasting), any time anywhere 24/7 access.

But there is also some disadvantages to using online libraries: Most of the content may be hidden and you may need to be subscribed to gain access. Also most world wide search engines don't access database and library indexes. Hence most people need specific knowledge on how to access such sites.

Referencing online libraries- Accurate referencing is vital, using the APA format, details found in the Ecu library publications, creating end-not libraries, in many courses marks are deducted for incorrect referencing as well as the quantity may contribute to extra marks.

Copyright Issues: Correct referencing of sources is vital- besides that permission is not required for notes. The responsibility of copyright permission rests with us.

Databases:

(An organised collection of information (data), characterised by the use of data fields, that provide procedural methods for retrieving information. ) Definition from the lecture.

Types of online databases:

• People Searches
• E-mail Directories
• Genealogy Resources
• Maps & Atlases
• Government Information & Statistics
• News & Media
• Portals

Advantages: plain and simply the advantages of databases are their comprehensive, current, browsable, searchable, 24/7 access and electronic format.

Disadvantages : Many databases need subscription, lots of advertising, difficult to navigate and information overload.

Tutorial:
We were asked to find a journal article on a online journal on the economic impact of global warming on business. I used Pro quest as a search engine and found the journal below:



We were also asked to record ten useful functions or search tips on the ecu library site:
1- Searching the catalogues for books, cd’s etc.
2- Searching the data bases for journal articles
3- Searching for specific journal titles
4- Information on referencing
5- Links to other search engines
6- Academic tip sheets
7- Library podcasts and video clips etc.
8- Library workshops and tours
9- Access to SIMO and IT services
10- Learning to find information easy


We were also asked to visit the MEDline plus website and go through some health topics and drug information. I picked prostate cancer to do a more comprehensive search on an clicked on the national library of medicine link and obtained the information below:



I think that males with concerns of prostate cancer are ones which will visit the site to gain more information about the signs, symptoms and cures because their is such a broad range of information which can be narrowed down to main points.

Reading summary:

1) Finding what you want on the web- The whole point of this article is that it explains their is more efficient ways of finding relevant information than just google. Its written by Bill Thompson, he is a regular commentator on the BBC World Service programme Go Digital, and he expresses his thoughts on "wide-ranging web indices" and "searching well". He even commented that "Good online research has to involve more than just typing a couple of words into a search form and clicking a button".

2) Basic search tips- This article pretty much just gives you basic tips on using search engines, tips such as:

• Use the plus (+) and minus (-) signs in front of words to force their inclusion and/or exclusion in searches.EXAMPLE: +meat -potatoes(NO space between the sign and the keyword)
  
• Use double quotation marks (" ") around phrases to ensure they are searched exactly as is, with the words side by side in the same order.EXAMPLE: "bye bye miss american pie"(Do NOT put quotation marks around a single word.)
  
• Put your most important keywords first in the string.EXAMPLE: dog breed family pet choose
  
• Type keywords and phrases in lower case to find both lower and upper case versions. Typing capital letters will usually return only an exact match.EXAMPLE: president retrieves both president and President
  
• Use truncation (or stemming) and wildcards (e.g., *) to look for variations in spelling and word form.

and plenty more.

Sites used: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3362913.stm

http://www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/pages/bones/lesson7.shtml