Finding information: Using the Scopus and Web of Knowledge databases for Assignments and Dissertations

Finding information: Using the Scopus and Web of Knowledge databases for Assignments and Dissertations Susan McCourt, Elaine Shallcross and Janet MacKay 2012/13

Outline Why use databases Why use Scopus and Web of Knowledge? Searching Refining searches Managing records Advanced features

Why use databases... Primo what we hold (titles of books/journals) Database what has been published (journal articles) Bibliographic Links to full text material Full text Note: web pages not checked, may not be scholarly or academic

Why use Scopus and Web of Knowledge/Science? Large databases covering science, technology, medicine, social science and arts and humanities Over 40 million records in each, some back to 1820s Mainly research papers (journal articles and conference papers) written by academics Some overlap across the databases but also some items unique to each Easy to use Simple search rules Links to full text and library catalogue Produce simple formatted bibliographies and direct export to RefWorks Lots of help available

Example assignment Comment on engineering failures that have occurred in space exploration

Search process Plan your search Link to relevant database Try a quick and dirty search any results? Improve your search using your search grid keywords and apply search rules Refine/limit, evaluate and view your search results Link to paper record or full text Manage your results Repeat in other relevant databases

Comment on engineering failures that have occurred in space exploration Idea 1 fail* disaster* accident* a n d Idea 2 Idea 3 space exploration If I find too many references are there any extra ideas I can use to restrict results? e.g. names of specific disasters (shuttle*, Challenger, Columbia)? or

Boolean Searching Linking of words, phrases and concepts for searching in databases and the web OR, AND are main operators failure OR disaster disaster AND Columbia

Boolean Searching OR broadens the search - use alternative words AND narrows the search - more specific NOT cuts out unwanted items - use with care!!

Search rules are almost the same in each of these databases Boolean connecting words: and: e.g. rural and policy or: e.g. rural or countryside not: e.g. tea or coffee not milk In Scopus and not is used rather than just not Not case sensitive Truncation symbol: * Enclose phrases in quotation marks : e.g. oil exploration Can use * in exact phrase search

www.scopus.com Click on Add search field for more boxes

Quick and dirty search broad terms, little refining. Is there content?

Answer - yes Now improve/refine the search

Idea 1 in first/top box Idea 2 in second box Use the Scopus search rules and type in your keywords...

Big number! Don t worry... Can refine/limit your search by adding extra relevant search terms (keywords)...

Big number! Don t worry... Can refine/limit your search by using database specific categories. Document Type = Review can be really useful at the beginning of a piece of research

Refining/limiting options Add extra keywords or different keywords Refine/Limit results by: Type of document Very useful for Review articles! Subject area Can help narrow the focus of the results Journal titles Useful if you are aware of important journals in the discipline Authors Years

Default is newest item at the top. But which are the most relevant, which have been used most often (cited) by other researchers? Evaluate what you ve found change the display/sort order

Similar feature in WoK/WoS

Evaluating options Change the sort order of results ( Sort by menu) Date - newest (default in both databases) Relevance Citations or Cited by Other options available Source journal Paper from a high impact or important journal is well-regarded

Viewing your results Initial results list presents basic information Use option to display the Abstract (=summary) of the paper Click on the link provided from the title of the paper to move through to more detailed information Keywords can be useful Use options to find out if we subscribe to the item in full text Full Text and SFX buttons in Scopus Links button in Web of Knowledge/Science

Scopus: Full Text icon appears in Scopus when we have paid for the item in electronic format SFX button also provided: used for checking on free e-versions and paper holdings

In Web of Knowledge/Science: Links button (= SFX service)

Using Full Text button in Scopus Full Text button > opens SFX window > Click on GO > opens journal supplier web page (normally at required journal article) > look for PDF

In WoK/WoS click on Links - the SFX window often fills the screen

Always acknowledge your source if you use ideas from this in your work

If SFX window shows no option for full text use the link to check Aberdeen University Library catalogue (we may have it in paper format)

We don t hold this one see message in red text. Even 2.4 million does not buy us access to everything! Undergrads and taught postgrads: if we don t hold the item you are not expected to pay to obtain access to it (inter-library loan service)

A more successful result We hold the journal in paper format, but do we have it for the volume that we need (vol 72)?

We do have this reference Library holds: 1975 onwards Location: Per 610 (at Medical Library)

If you are struggling Use what you ve found to move off into related papers. Try to find one or 2 good/relevant papers Move backwards in time look at the references used to support that paper Move forwards in time look at who has cited that paper since it was published Look at papers related to this one (different options in each database) Look at your Search History modify or start again using new keywords and search terms

If struggling to find results use one relevant/good paper: go backwards and forwards in time from this one paper Go backwards by looking through the list of references used by this author

Go forwards by looking through the list of papers that have cited (referred to) this paper since it was published

Managing results: Scopus Can output relevant items: download items print, email or download

Managing results: WoK/WoS

Scopus: extra feature Can produce a formatted bibliography of marked items

Styles may not exactly match the format you need but can be close! Easy to copy and edit. Not the same as RefWorks software but produced by the same company

If you lose your way or don t find items that are relevant look at your search history and then start a different/better search

Summary Plan your search Link to relevant database Try a quick and dirty search any results? Improve your search using your search grid keywords and apply search rules Refine/limit, evaluate and view your search results Link to paper record or full text Manage your results Repeat in other relevant databases

Advanced services: Register for a personal account: have access to My alerts, My list, My settings save records, searches and set up alerts

Off Campus Access Technical Issues On-campus network is recognised by our suppliers. Additional software (utilities/plugins) often installed so that software works Off-campus you will have to: set proxy for full access to electronic journals Allow pop-ups for certain sites (e.g. RefWorks) Install extra plugins (e.g. RefWorks Write-N-Cite) Login using Shibboleth/UK Federation/Institutional Login Check out www.abdn.ac.uk/proxy and www.abdn.ac.uk/library/collections/access-eresources

Help and Advice Help screens on database website Library guides at www.abdn.ac.uk/library/support/guides Information Consultants www.abdn.ac.uk/library/support/contacts/ic/ Vodcasts (video-style demos www.abdn.ac.uk/library/myzone/vodcasts IT Service Desk (IT access problems) Tel. 01224-273636 (also the Out of Hours number) E-mail: servicedesk@abdn.ac.uk

What s next? Any questions? Worksheets Try things out for yourself Book on further courses Ask for help that s what we re here for Presentation available in MyAberdeen at some point later in the month

Slides 1,3,4,6,9,10,19,22,25,35,46,47

Click on Relevance in drop-down menu and order of results will change most relevant result at the top

Which have been used by other researchers? Sort by Citations (favours older papers)

Refine results: various options but limiting Document Type = Review. Can be extremely useful at the start of a piece of research

11 review articles (special type of articles = overview, summary type research papers) Skim read the abstract is the content relevant? Can you identify new keywords to use in your search?