Indexes By Subject

Hi, I'm going to walk you through finding the journal index that you want at WSU.

At points along the way I will tell you to pause the podcast so that you can complete a step. When you have completed that step resume the broadcast.

First, bring up the library website.

Type in www.wsulibs.wsu.edu

Type in www.wsulibs.wsu.edu

Now you see the main library webpage. In the center there are boxes with headings like search, services and research. Above these boxes are three tabs” WSU Libraries Catalog”, ”Find Journal Articles”, and the third says “your record”.

Click on the tab labled Find Journal Articles.

Look at the box in the center of this screen. You are offered two ways to find an article using an index or a database. The first is Find Articles by Topic or Title. The second is Find E-journals by Title. We will be working with Find Articles by Topic or Title.

Since we want to find all indexes that are useful for finding articles in our topic we will choose the second option under “Find Articles by Topic or Title”

Go to the second item in the list “Databases by Subject”

Beneath is a box labeled “Select from List”

This box contains a list of general subject headings. This list is not meant to be really specific topics, but you should be able to find a subject that your question will fit in. If you are looking for information on azalias you could find it in indexes for either botany or horticulture.

For our sample search, scroll down the list to environmental.

Click on Environmental Sciences.

Now you have a list of indexes and databases that contain environmental information.

The top three indexes are the most useful for providing a broad spectrum of Environmental Science articles. Note that these are GreenFile, GeoRef and Agricola.

Pause while you read the descriptions of each of these three databases.

Lets take a look at Greenfile.

Note that a box beside the title that says FULL TEXT. This denotes that this index includes full text documents as well as indexing to articles.

Below each name you see a brief description of the database. Beneath that is an “I” in a circle. This provides more information about that database.

Click this “I” . A new box will pop up on your screen.

What you see now is a more complete description of the database.

Each database will have information particular to it. Sometimes it provides the timespan the database covers. Your might see search hints for using this database in cross-search.
Sometimes you will see a link to a tutorial for this database at the bottom of the box.

Click on the x in the upper right hand corner to put away the pop-up box.

Pause now while you look at the “I” popup boxes for Georef and Agricola. After you have finished put away the pop-up boxes and return to the main subject index listing.

The next thing in the list is the librarian that is responsible for this subject. It provides a link to that librarian’s page. This person will be able to give you help finding information on your topic. You can then link out of the librarians page to specialized subject pages that she or he has set up.

Now continue to scroll down further in the list. At this point all the remaining indexes and databases that contain articles on Environmental Science are listed in alphabetical order.

Some of these may be specialty databases that contain more than journal articles, such as the Bibliography of Geology and Mineral Resources of Washington, or in-house database of maps in Owen Library. Online encyclopedias and handbooks are also included in the list.

Pause here while you scroll through the list and look at what is available in this subject area.

Now that you have seen the list, you will choose the index or database that looks like it best fits your needs. When you click on the title, you will be taken to that database’s search page. You will then search that database in the usual ways. A new window will be opened for this index. You will not have lost the Searchit list, and can come back to it without loosing your place.

Pause now to click on any index, and see what the index looks like.

Put away the screen with the index you looked at, and return to the search it screen.

Now click the “Find Journal Articles” tab at the top of the screen. This takes you out of the Environmental Science List and returns you to the main Search-it page. I will now walk you through finding an index or database in your subject.

First - Go to Databases by Subject. Click on the “Select from List” Scroll through the list of subjects, and choose the subject that you want to work with.

Pause here till you have done this.

Now you are on the list of indexes and databases for that subject.

Scroll through the list. Read the short descriptions. Click on the the “I” in the circle to see more information about the contents.

Pause here while you do this and choose a database that you want to use.

Now that you have chosen a database, click on the name of the database and start searching.

Good searching.