Introduction | Accessing | Searching | Search
Results | Managing Search
Results | Search Tips| Additional
Features
Introduction
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Thomson Gale databases cover a wide range of subjects including general academic,
business, health, and children's resources. Most Thomson Gale databases utilize
the Powersearch interface. In addition, there are a few Thomson Gale databases
which have their own unique interfaces including Literature Resource Center,
Biography Resource Center, and others. However, several databases continue
to utilize the InfoTrac interface which is to be phased out over several years.
The remaining InfoTrac databases include General BusinessFile ASAP and MLA
International Bibliography. This tutorial covers the InfoTrac interface only.
For information on the Powersearch interface, see the Thomson
Gale Powersearch
tutorial.
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Accessing
Searching
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When an InfoTrac Web database opens, the Advanced Search mode is selected.
To choose a different search mode, click on Subject Guide, Keyword Search or
Advanced Search–left side of the screen.
To construct a search in an InfoTrac Web database
- type your search term(s) in the entry box
- click on Search to obtain a list of records
Advanced search screen in InfoTrac Web.
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Search Results
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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
Search results will automatically display with a list of citaitons. Your list
of citations shows
- citations for items that matched your search
- about the publication is information regarding the journal
- how to cite offers a means to generate a citation in various
styles such as APA, or MLA
- availability of full-text:
- the document is available if list indicates: Full-text,
Full-text with graphics, or PDF.
Sample search results InfoTrac Web.
Records
To view a record click on the title of the article.
Record in InfoTrac Web.
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.
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Managing Search Results
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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 the Folder icon at
the top of the screen labed Marked Items.
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 top of the screen. If the item is in PDF formt Acrobat Reader then
use
the print
icon in the Acrobat Reader
software
Emailing
To email a record (including full-text, graphics or images) if available
- click on the Email link–on top of the screen
- enter an email address
- select the desired options
- click Submit Email Request
Use your complete email address and include a note about what you are
sending in the comment box.
Saving
To save a record
- click on the download button–top of the screen
- the dialog
box will appear
- select the desired format
- click Download
- click Save and save the filed to the desired location
Use a word processing or text editor program to open your file.
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Search Tips
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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
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 w1 (letter w and number 1) 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, from the advanced
search screen.
- click on the pull-down arrow on the right of the box
that says "Keyword(ke)"
- scroll to the field to limit your search to
- click on the field name
Date
To limit a search to specific years do one of the following
- go to the by publication date section below the entry
boxes and then click in the appropriate radio buttons
- use a field (index ) search for date and then select the
between and radio button then enter a range of dates by using
the drop down menuboxes.
Publication type
InfoTrac Web allows searches to be limited to specific document types. Simply
put a checkmark in the box next to the desired category. Document searches
may be limited by:
- peer review/scholarly
- documents with Full-text
- doucments with images
- library holdings.
Plurals
Use the following symbols in InfoTrac Web databases to locate plural forms,
truncate search terms, or replace characters:
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!
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Regular plurals.
school! retrieves both school and schools
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*
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Any number of characters at the end of a word.
leader* retrieves leader, leaders, leadership
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?
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One character.
defen?e retrieves both defense and defence
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Additional Features
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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
- click on Subject Guide–on the top of the search
screen
- click in the entry box
- nex to the word Find enter search terms
- click on the Search button
For the best results in a Subject Guide search, limit search expressions
to one or two words. Here are examples of some words you might use in
a Subject Guide search
| Microsoft |
(company name) |
| shoes |
(subject) |
| fish farms |
(industry) |
| Malaysia |
(location) |
| alan bond |
(person) |
If a Subject Guide search fails, InfoTrac automatically performs
a Keyword search for the word(s) in the entry box.
Keyword Search
The Keyword Search lets you retrieve subjects, combinations of terms,
or company profiles that contain the keywords you enter. Use the keyword
approach when combining terms with Boolean operators. Keyword searching
is the default setting for this database.
Here are examples of some words you might use in a Keyword Search
| former Soviet Union |
(topic not in Subject Guide) |
| Diet Coke |
(product name) |
| TV violence and children |
(topic combination) |
| Don't Eat this Book |
(book title) |
| Paris Match |
(non-U.S. company) |
| wheat and Kansas |
(topic combination) |
Keyword searches often provide less precise results than using various
combinations of field searching in the Advanced Search.
InfoMarks
An InfoMark at the top of any page indicates that the URL of the page persists
even when the session is over. Persistent URLs can be bookmarked for future
reference or copied into an electronic mail message or onto a Web page.
To create an InfoMark
- make sure that the InfoMark symbol is at the top of the page
- use your Internet browser to add the page as a bookmark or favorite
InfoMark in InfoTrac Web.
For InfoMarks to work, your Internet browser must be set to accept cookies.
And, anyone using the resulting InfoMark URL will have to authenticate using
their last name and NSU ID number.
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