JSTOR

Printable version

Introduction | Accessing | Searching | Search Results | Managing Search Results | Search Tips | Additional Features

Introduction

JSTOR is a nonprofit organization that began in August 1995. Many national and international institutions participate with JSTOR in providing this resource. Over 322 journals are indexed within JSTOR. Twenty-six disciplines are covered including business. Nearly 100,000 articles are actually available online, this makes JSTOR an excellent place to retrieve not only citations but full-text articles as well. JSTOR is a very large database, for this reason only the Business area is demonstrated in this lesson. There are over 60 business journals indexed in JSTOR and they can be searched individually or as a group.

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

The default screen is the JSTOR Basic Search. To begin searching enter your term(s) in the search box(es) provided. Next Select the Discipline by putting a checkmark in the box next to Business. NOTE: You may limit your selection to specific journals by clicking the button to expand the journal list. Once you have expanded the journal list, scroll to the business section and put a check mark next to the journals you wish to search. Try Leadership and Vision. After you have typed in your search terms and selected your Disciplines or Journals click the Begin Search button. Basic Search Screen in JSTOR.

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 Here is a sample of results for a search on the keywords: Leadership and Vision. Search Results screen in JSTOR. Records To display the full-text of an article, click on title of the article. View of an opening page of a full-text article in JSTOR.

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 Printing Emailing Saving

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 Field searching Publication type You may limit your search by using various fields. From the Basic Search Screen to Limit by Type put a checkmark by clicking in the box to the left of the category needed. Date From the Basic Search Screen to Limit by Publication Date enter one of the following combinations a four digit year such as between: 1999 and: 2003 a four digit year and two digit month such as between: 1999/ 09 and 2003/03 or a four digit year, two digit month, and two digit day such as between: 1999/09/01 and 2003/03/15 Boolean operators Boolean operators may be used in the top portion of the Basic Search Screen in the section where you must enter your keywords. Select the operators with the drop down arrows provided. 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   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

Additional Features

For additional tips and features click on the TIPS area from the top of the Basic Search Screen navigation bar. Navigation bar from the JSTOR Basic Search with the TIPS link circled.