STUDENT CENTER EBSCO HOST Online Research Databases Learning

STUDENT CENTER EBSCO HOST Online Research Databases Learning how to use it 1

Access it from the Library’s webpage LGHS website Library Digital Resources EBSCO Host Refer to the pink password handout for the appropriate credentials Once signed in, select a Database Center: • Academic Research Center – a general set of databases that will satisfy most of you research needs • Literary Reference Center – use to research authors and their works • Points of View – for researching multiple sides of an issue • Student Research Center – geared towards High School research • Science Reference Center – for access to scientific research • Advanced Placement – focused on AP courses 2

Starting your Research Each database center comprises a few databases that the school subscribes to. For this example we chose the Academic Resource Center. Recommendations: • Type your query and click on Search • You can restrict your search to one or more Databases clicking on Choose Databases • Try the Basic Search first and once you are familiar with it, move on to Search Options or Advanced Search 3

The First Results Initially you will get too many results. It’s time to narrow your search Recommendation: limit the publication date to the last 20 years or so 4

Refining your Search Use the various limiters offered to get to a reasonable amount of results. Your refined search and all limiters appear at the EBSCO “Breadbox” Once you have reached a reasonable amount of results, it’s time to start collecting sources 5

Collecting Sources You can access an abstract of the article just by hovering your mouse here After reading the abstract, if you decide that it is an article worth reading, add it to a folder Recommendation: continue this process until you have collected 7 to 9 articles. 6

The Research Open your folder to see a list of the articles selected or Then click on the article’s title to open it 7

The Article When you open the article you will get Bibliographic information • The bibliographic information (you will need this to generate the MLA citation on Noodle. Tools) • HTML Full Text, which includes only the text from the article • PDF Full Text, which provides the article exactly as it was originally published, with pictures, graphs, etc. 8

Finishing your Research Once you are finished reading, go back to your folder: • select the articles you don’t need and delete them • select the articles you’ll use and e-mail them to yourself or print them. 9

Remember: • All Database Centers are accessed and used in a similar way • Refer to the Noodle. Tools handouts to manage your research • Need help? Look for Ms. Cozzella at the Student Center 10