Health Reference Center Academic

Introduction

Health Reference Center, an InfoTrac database, contains articles on fitness, pregnancy, medicine, nutrition, diseases, public health, occupational health & safety, alcohol and drug abuse, HMOs, prescription drugs, health and wellness research, etc. This database provides selected full text, including the full text of six medical reference books. Health Reference Center contains publications from 1994 to present, with monthly updates

Accessing

This database may be accessed from the Databases page of the Electronic Resources section of the NSU Alvin Sherman Library website.

For more on how to access databases visit http://www.nova.edu/library/dils/lessons/electroniclibrary/

Searching

To construct a search in Health Reference Center

• type search terms in the entry box(es)

Type search terms in entry boxes.

Modify searches in Health Reference Center by using one or more of the following

• enter multiple search terms or concepts
• combine terms using Boolean operators
• limit search terms using field searching
• refine searches with limiters, such as date, full text, publication type, etc.

Using Boolean operators to modify a search in Health Reference Center.

Search Results

Search results will vary. If you get:

• No records matched your search, then check your spelling or the fields you searched in.
• Too many, then go back and limit your search. Sometimes a search needs to be modified with: additional search words, searching only a specific field, adding date limitations, or type of materials.
• Too few, then go back and expand your search. Consider synonyms for your search words or concepts. Try to use professional language or terminology.
• Irrelevant results, then try new search terms. Consider synonyms or related concepts. Identify and search using descriptors. Try a different database.

Results lists

To view your search results in Health Reference Center

• click on View to see the results–near the top of the screen

Click on View to display the results list in Health Reference Center.

The results list will include

• citations for items that matched your search
• availability information of full text, abstract, citation only

Search results list in Health Reference Center.

Records

To view a record (article)

• click on the link that appears below a citation: View….to show
  • the full citation
  • a list of subject headings assigned to the record
  • abstract and/or full-text will only be available when indicated by the “view” link

The information in the record, especially the title of the item, subject headings and the abstract–if available–will help you determine if you need the item.

Managing Search Results

Databases typically allow you to manage your search results by

• marking or tagging records to select only the records that you want from your search results from later printing, emailing and/or saving
• printing the search results list and/or specific records
• emailing the search results list and/or specific records to your email address
• saving the search results list and/or specific records–some databases may allow you to save your file for export into commercial bibliographic citation manager software, such as EndNote or ProCite

Not all search management features are available in all databases.

Marking

The “mark” feature allows you to select records from within your search results. By marking items, you can print or email multiple records at one time.

To mark a record

• in the list of citations, click in the check box to the left of a citation
• in a record, click in the check box labeled Mark, to the left of the journal/source name

To view your list of marked records

• click on View mark list on the left side of the screen

You may then email or print the items you have selected – if available, full-text can be printed or emailed.

Printing

To print a record, including full-text if available

• click on the Print button–on the left side of the screen
• select Browser Print or Acrobat Reader format, if different article formats are available
  • Browser Print will print an html version of the article
    • the item will be automatically reformatted and the Print dialog box will appear
    • click OK
    • click your Internet browser’s back arrow to return to your search results
  • Acrobat Reader will print a pdf version of the article
    • use the print icon in the Acrobat Reader software

Select a print format.

Emailing

To email a record, including full-text–no graphics or images–if available

• click on the Email link–on the left side of the screen
• enter an email address
• click Submit Email Request

Use your complete email address and include a note about what you are sending in the comment box.

Email box in InfoTrac Web.

Saving

To save a record

• click on the print button–on the left side of the screen
• the item will be automatically reformatted and the Print dialog box will appear
• click Cancel
• click File on your browser’s tool bar
• click Save As
• type your file name in the File name dialog box
• in the save as type dialog box, click on the down arrow and change to Plain text
• click on the Save button
• click your Internet browser’s back arrow to return to your search results

File, Save As.

Use a word processing or text editor program to open your file.

Search Tips

Use advanced search features to modify a search to obtain more successful search results. You can combine advanced search features to modify and improve your search. Advanced search features often include:

• phrase or proximity searching
• field searching
• date
• document and/or publication type
• Boolean operators
• plurals and truncation

One useful tip when searching any electronic database is to leave out articles, prepositions, and very abstract or general terms–they confuse the database's search engine.

For example, if the paper is on "The Impact of Mainstreaming Students in Math Classes,” use the most precise terms like mainstreaming and mathematics and skip impact, the, of, and in.

Phrase or proximity searching

In InfoTrac Web, there are two ways to search for a phrase

• put the phrase in double quotes, such as
  “higher education”
  “curriculum development”

• use the letter w1 to search for two words as a phrase
  higher w1 education
  curriculum w1 development

Phrase searching in InfoTrac Web.

Field searching

To limit your search to a specific field (index) in the record

• click on the pull-down arrow–to the right of the box that says “Key Word (ke)”
• scroll to the field to limit your search to
• click on the field’s name

Field searching in InfoTracWeb.

Date

To limit a search to specific years do one of the following

• go to the Limit the current search section below the entry boxes and then click in the appropriate check box(es)
• use a field (index ) search for date and then type a date (like 2001, May 2001 or 5/15/2001) or a range of dates (like 1990-1999 or January 2000-June 2000) or from a specific year until the current year ( like 1995- )

Limiting by date in InfoTrac Web.

Publication type

InfoTrac Web does not allow searches to be limited to specific document types, however searches may be limited to refereed (peer-reviewed) or scholarly publications

• go to the Limit type to section
• use the refereed publications check box to limit your search

Limiting to refereed publications in InfoTrac Web.

Boolean operators

The Boolean operators, AND, OR, and NOT, can be used to modify a search

• click on the pull-down arrow to the right of the text entry box
• click on the Boolean operator to use:

Use AND to narrow a search. AND looks for both terms in the same record.
leadership and vision; mainstreaming and science

Use OR to broaden a search. OR looks for either term in the same record.
mainstreaming or inclusion; elementary education or secondary education

Use NOT to eliminate records with a certain term.
Saturn not car; Venus not planet

Plurals

Use the following symbols in InfoTrac Web databases to locate plural forms, truncate search terms, or replace characters:

Truncating search terms in InfoTrac Web.

Additional Features

Subject Guide Search

A subject guide search allows you to search the database for a list of subject headings containing your entry. The subject headings that appear when you perform a Subject Guide search may include the names of companies, people, industries, and locations.

To access and search the Subject Guide