Databases

The Libraries' have had some good history databases for the past few years. I am pleased to tell you that in the past these history databases had a limited number of users, as of this fall, all of them have an unlimited number of users.

If you would like to have your class do a project using one of the history databases and would like to have a librarian demonstrate the use of these databases, contact pat.semple@montgomerycollege.edu Pat is in charge of scheduling library instruction. If you would like me to teach the session, just tell Ms. Semple.

Please be aware that the databases can be used both on and off campus. The green handout gives instructions for off campus log ins.

To Find History Databases

1. Go to the Libraries' Web Page http://montgomerycollege.edu/library/
2. Look for the "Articles Databases and More" box and click on either the "Databases by Subject" link.
3. Scroll down until you see the History subject block.
4. You will find the historical files of the Washington Post and New York Times in the Newspapers subject block.

Database Descriptions

History Resource Center U.S. and History Resource Center World are produced by the same company. They contain electronic versions of articles from reference books, a limited selection of magazines and journals, some primary sources, and pictures, maps etc.

Primary Sources in African-American History and Primary Sources in American Women's History. These resources from Lexis-Nexis contain legal material, journal articles (some amazingly ancient) primary sources, government documents, and a limited amount of visual material. Coverage found in these two databases is not nearly as extensive as that of the History Resource Centers and tends to center heavily on legal material.

The Gale Encyclopedia of Economic History and History References from X Refer are online reference books. The Gale Encyclopedia of Economic History provides access to both brief and in depth reference articles. X Refer finds brief essays on historical subjects or definitions of terms.

New York Times Historical 1851- and Washington Post Historical 1877- are amazing databases. They contain PDF reproductions of articles, advertisements, pictures etc. from these two major American newspapers.

The general subject databases Expanded Academic ASAP, Academic Search Premiere and Project Muse all contain full text electronic versions of articles from popular magazines and scholarly journals, and cover all subjects including history and political science.

Database Trials

We have had trials of three African/African American history and culture databases. It is hoped that you had the time to look at one or all of them. According to the opinions I have collected, The African American Experience seems to be the clear winner. Searching is easy and it contains information on both African and African American subjects. Unfortunately, the month long trial of these databases is over.

We still have a trial of the American Council of Learned Societies History E-Book Project at this URL http://www.HistoryEBook.org The trial is IP authenticated (in English that means it can be accessed from any on campus computer.)

The Web contains wonderful, truthful, accurate information. See this example:
The Earth at Night.

The Web also contains errant nonsense. See, for example, Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie.

Government Documents
Government Documents--the reports, statistics and other publications of the Federal Government--are among the most useful of all Web pages. They are most easily found by using Google Uncle Sam, a version of Google that searches only government documents and agency Web sites. Find it at http://www.google.com/unclesam

Web Directories

A Web Directory differs from a search engine in that humans build Web directories as opposed to computer built search engines. A Web directory will contain annotated links arranged in some kind of a subject hierarchy. Directories will not include nearly as much information as search engines, but will contain better information. Use a Web directory instead of plowing through page after page of search engine results. Here are links to some excellent Web directories:

Montgomery College Libraries Web Subject Guides-Academic - http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/library/wsg_academic.htm

Please note, the librarians would very much appreciate any suggestions for additions to these lists.

Librarians' Internet Index - http://lii.org/

Infomine - http://infomine.ucr.edu/

You can find more Web directories by clicking on this link: http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/library/grotherweb.htm

Boolean Searching

1. Express your research question in a sentence: I want to know about the prevention of violence in the workplace.
2. Isolate the keywords; in this case prevention plus violence plus workplace. Remember, with keywords, less is more.
3. Construct a search by combining the keywords with the appropriate Boolean operator, in this case and. prevention and workplace and violence

Retrieve Fewer Records by Using And
The computer interprets and as a command to find both of the words in a book title, article or Web page. A search for workplace and violence
will find fewer records than a search for violence.
Hint: one word searches are usually not a good idea, especially in big databases.

Use Quotation Marks for Multi word Keywords
Put quotation marks around any Multi word search term, e.g. "united states" "workplace violence ."

Use the Or Shortcut
Keep in mind that or means mORe.
A related term for prevention is stopping
The synonyms could be searched as stopping and "workplace violence"
and then by doing a second search: prevention and "workplace violence"

There is a shortcut: the Boolean operator or. The computer interprets or as a command to find either word. Remember that or statements must be enclosed in parenthesis.

"workplace violence" and (stopping or prevention)

As well as synonyms, or can be used to connect:

Related terms (program or curriculum)
Alternate spellings (gray or grey)
Abbreviations (television or tv)

Use the Wildcard Shortcut
If you want to search various forms of a keyword, you could use an or search:

(prevention or preventing)

You could accomplish the same thing by using the wildcard symbol, a ? or an *. The computer interprets a ? or an * as find anything that starts with those letters. Therefore the keyword prevent* finds prevent, preventing, prevention etc . Use the ? in the catalog, the * in the databases.

Engage brain before using a wildcard. The keyword cat* will find cat, cats, catalog, cataloging, category, and a lot of other terms you do not want in your search.

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