Public Policy Research Lisa Burley Brackett Library, Harding University
Recommended Resources SocINDEX SocINDEX JSTOR JSTOR Print resources Print resources
Keyword Searching vs. Subject Searching Keyword search Keyword search Like a Google search Like a Google search Matches a series of characters and spaces Matches a series of characters and spaces Scans entire record for term Scans entire record for term Lots of results, little accuracy Lots of results, little accuracy Subject term search Speaking the catalog’s language Sometimes yields fewer results, but always yields a higher level of accuracy Time efficient
Examples Photo tags Photo tags File folders File folders Jargon and dialects Jargon and dialects
Why SocINDEX? Comprehensive coverage of sociology, encompassing all sub-disciplines and closely related areas of study Comprehensive coverage of sociology, encompassing all sub-disciplines and closely related areas of study Provides data from more than 670 priority coverage journals as well as from 2,800 selective coverage journals Provides data from more than 670 priority coverage journals as well as from 2,800 selective coverage journals Full text for 428 core coverage journals dating back to 1908, and 163 priority coverage journals Full text for 428 core coverage journals dating back to 1908, and 163 priority coverage journals
Areas covered include abortion abortion criminology & criminal justice criminology & criminal justice demography demography ethnic & racial studies ethnic & racial studies gender studies gender studies marriage & family marriage & family political sociology political sociology religion religion rural & urban sociology rural & urban sociology social development social development social psychology social structure social work socio-cultural anthropology sociological history sociological research sociological theory substance abuse & other addictions violence
Library homepage quest.harding.edu Library homepage quest.harding.eduquest.harding.edu Online Databases link Online Databases link
health care policy
A word of advice... Always browse through index lists
Narrowing Results By subject By subject
Retracing Your Steps “Bread crumbs” “Bread crumbs” Search History Tab Search History Tab
Narrowing Results By subject By subject By publication type By publication type
Narrowing Results By subject By subject By publication type By publication type Refine Search Tab Refine Search Tab
Recommendations: Limit by year for current information Limit by year for current information Avoid limiting to “full text only” Avoid limiting to “full text only”
Evaluation and access Cited References Cited References
Evaluation and access Cited References Cited References Abstracts Abstracts
Evaluation and access Cited References Cited References Abstracts Abstracts Full text or Search in Quest Full text or Search in Quest
Remember Searches journal title, not article title Searches journal title, not article title Know your citation Know your citation
Location Options Current periodicals Current periodicals Bound periodicals Bound periodicals Microfilm/microfiche Microfilm/microfiche Another database Another database
No full text? Interlibrary Loan Interlibrary Loan Ten cents per page Ten cents per page Takes about a week Takes about a week
Other options Long term storage Long term storage Automatic updates Automatic updates Formatting a bibliography Formatting a bibliography
JSTOR
About JSTOR “dual mission to create and maintain a trusted archive of important scholarly journals, and to provide access to these journals as widely as possible. “ “dual mission to create and maintain a trusted archive of important scholarly journals, and to provide access to these journals as widely as possible. “ Because of JSTOR's archival mission, there is a gap, typically from 1 to 5 years, between the most recently published journal issue and the back issues available in JSTOR Because of JSTOR's archival mission, there is a gap, typically from 1 to 5 years, between the most recently published journal issue and the back issues available in JSTOR
Some differences Searching a subject index is not an option Searching a subject index is not an option Increase accuracy by searching Increase accuracy by searching Article title Article title Abstract Abstract Language Language
Let’s try it Let’s try it
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