TESOL
Choosing a Database
Key source: Modern Language Association International Bibliography (MLAIB or MLA Bibliography
NOTE: At CSUEB, this database is made available on a platform called EBSCOHost that also offers a number of other databases mentioned below. Please note that the "platform" is the vehicle over which the database is delivered. The "database" is the content that is delivered on the platform. If you go to other libraries, the database(s) may be offered on a different platform.
Also consider any sub-discipline that might apply to your topic, e.g. Education, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work.
Search appropriate databases, e.g., ERIC, PsycInfo, Sociological Abstracts, Social Services Abstracts.
Finally, you can consider general databases, e.g., Academic Search Premier, or other types of materials, e.g. government documents, legal materials
Many of these databases are also offered on the EBSCOHost platform. Sociological Abstracts and Social Services Abstracts, however, are offered on CSA Illumina platform which looks a little different, but offers the same or similar functionality.
To reach the databases, go to the library home page (http://library.csueastbay.edu) and click on "A to Z list of databases." At that screen, you can either pick a database of choice or you can click on "Subject Guide to Resources and Databases" and choose a discipline to learn what resources are available for that discipline.
Sample Search
Search conducted October 9 and 10, 2007
Source: MLA International Bibliography
Platform: EBSCO Host
Search terms: "age factors" "second language acquisition"
Results: None
Assess why that might be so. Is there a problem word/term? Possibly "factors"
Options
1. Try another term, e.g., "characteristics," "traits," "conditions"
Questions: how far from your topic is each of these alternate terms? If you get results, how will changing terms affect your topic?
2. Remove the term to "refine your search"
Search terms: "age" "second language acquisitions"
Results: 78 (as of October 9, 2007)
Examining and Using the Results
Result 1: A book
How can you tell? Why is this important?
There's no link to lead you to any possible full text (SFX button). How can you search further?
Copy and paste this into a “title” search in the library catalog. No results? How can you search further?
Click on "repeat search in LINK+" In this case, it's there. What could you do if it wasn't?
Go to Interlibrary Loan.
You decide you want this book for your bibliography and paper. What's the best way to capture the information you need?
Go to the abstract page and email it to yourself with the format of your choice
Helpful hints:
a) Copy the bib data into the comments section of the email as portions don’t always come through, e.g., your citation may just have "YEAR" and you'll have to fill in the year.
b) Copy the persistent URL into the comments section as well (by opening another browser tab) so that you will have the PURL for future linking.
c) Title the email in a meaningful way. If you are gathering a great many citations, you need to start organizing your information "up front."
Once you get the book, what "clues" can you get from the book to continue your search?
Footnotes and the bibliography.
Result 2: From the same book
Result 3: Click on the PDF attachment.
You can also email it to yourself from the abstract page, along with the citation in your chosen format.
Result 4: Another book
Result 5: A Journal article. If the title of the Journal didn't have the word "journal" in it, how could you tell if it was a journal?
Click on "Check SFX for more information."
In this case, full text is online through Elsevier's Science Direct database.
If you want this article, you can email the citation to yourself, but you have to save the article another way, as no attachment is possible.
Result 6: A dissertation
You can follow the same process as you followed for Result 5. In this case, there's no print available and even though this dissertation might be particularly useful, it's unlikely we'll be able to retrieve this for you. It's not likely to be in LINK+, unless the dissertation belongs to one of our consortial libraries and even then, it's unlikely to be loaned. In those cases, it's best to find other resources.
You can examine the remainder of the results and start developing ways of retrieving each item.
__Features of the MLA Bibliography on the EBSCO platform in the CSUEB library__
CSUEB library
NOTE: Our web page will change in 2008, so you will have to adjust to the new options.
go to the home page: http://library.csueastbay.edu
click on A-Z databases, then on "m"
click on MLA bibliography.
Note that there is a "description" associated with the bibliography.
The description outlines the subjects covered, the type of results you'll get (in this case, citations primarily), the content included, and the dates of coverage.
You can access this from on campus or off. If you access the database from off-campus, you will be required to authenticate.
The EBSCO Host Platform and the MLAIB
NOTE: Databases can be delivered on a variety of platforms and will look different from platform to platform.
First and foremost, in the upper right hand corner of the platform is a "help" feature. If you click on that, you will not only get explanations, but links to EBSCO tutorials. These materials cover research databases in general.
1. The library has chosen to default to the "advanced search" screen; however, there is a basic screen. At the graduate level, the advanced screen is probably the one you want to use.
2. On the left of the search boxes are choices of Boolean operators. Note that if you put "second language acquisition" into the first search box, you are requiring the system to give you results where the three words must be next to each other. If you put "second" in the first search box, "language" in the second, and "acquisition" in the third, you are requiring the system to give you results where those three words are present, but not necessarily together. This changes your results.
3. On the right of the search boxes are choices of fields. Examples include authors, titles, subjects, and keywords, but there are many others. The two-digit code to the left of each field is an international standard code for that field.
4. Under the search boxes, is the phrase "in MLA international bibliography." If you click on that box, you will see that you have many other options and can switch from database to database. When you do that, in most cases and situations, your search will re-populate in the search boxes. If not, you will have to re-type your search.
5. It is also possible to select multiple databases from the "in" box. For example, to work with a SLA subject with psychological implications, you can search in both MLAIB and PsycInfo at the same time by holding down the CTRL key while clicking on the selection box and then clicking "submit." There are pluses and minuses to this choice, which are discussed below. Alternately, you can click on the "choose databases" tab above the search boxes and click on the databases you wish to include in your search. If you click on the tab, you will find more features, e.g., a complete title list of what's included in SOME databases (not MLAIB) and more information, which is generally the scope of inclusion. Be aware, however, that some of the additional help reverts back to the general database information rather than being specific to a particular database.
6. Note the "Limit your results" options. There are many and they are self-explanatory; however, the features used most often are the top choices. If you decide to use multiple databases, the choices will be only those choices that are in common to both databases, so you lose functionality when you combine databases. It's a good idea to check the "limit" features on each database separately before you combine them so that you know what you are choosing. Some searches call for separate searches in each databases; some work well with a combination. It depends on the search.
7. Note the "expand your search to" feature. This offers more self-explanatory features, including controlling a Boolean choice.
8. The "visual search" displays search results as a picture in circles, squares, etc. Some of you may find it useful; others less so.
9. There is a "folder" in which you can store results. If using a public terminal, however, be sure you email things to yourself so that you won't lose them.
10. The "preferences" option allows you to choose display options - how many results per screen, whether brief or full, etc.
11. You can explore the terms on the green bar (these, too, change from database to database).
- Keyword - takes you back to the default advanced search screen
- Thesaurus - this allows you to put in subject terms. These are not the same as keyword; however, with "second language acquisition," the two coincide
- MLA Directory of Periodicals - a list of journals indexed in the bibliography
- Names as Subjects - this may be more useful for the field of literature; however, if you are looking for information about a key SLA author, you could check here.
- Indexes - select an index (author, subject, etc.), enter a term, and click "browse." Note that there is a "subject language" option and a "subject literature" option. You get a "record count" number. This basically just lists languages. For example, if you enter "English," you get
You can see the range of languages or the variations in what is indexed.
When you check the box and "add" the term, it pops up a "subject field" as another qualifier for your search, thereby limiting the search further.
Databases on CSA Illumina
As with the EBSCOHost platform, the library has chosen to default to the Advanced Screen on the CSA Illumina platform. You will see the same basic features - Boolean operators, selection of descriptors, limiters, and other choices. Once you are familliar with EBSCOHost, you'll find it quite easy to move from one database to another. The majority of the features are simply in a different place on the screen.
The one feature I'd like to highlight is the "History/Combine Searches" feature, which is a different description for something you can do on the EBSCOHost platform, but which you may not recognize as being quite the same thing. This features takes your saved searches and literally combines them. When you open the feature, you'll notice, under the search box, the statement "Search Tips: (#3 or #2) and new term." This allows you to take your searches and enhance them.
Citation
Cite:
From the home page, click on “Site map” on the left navigation bar.
At the next page, click “Citing resources and style guides.”
These tools are wonderful for getting you started; however, for complete detail, go to the full-length manual for your citation style. Ask at the reference desk. Bring your CSUEB ID because they’ll keep it while you use the manuals.
A word about NoodleTools
On campus, you will be automatically logged in as CSUEB, since this is a subscription tool. If using it from home, you will need to authenticate, as you do with the databases. In addition, you will need to create your own identification, so that NoodleTools can store your folders and bibliographies as yours. When I log in, I can see all the folders I have previously created.
On the main NoodleTools page, you want to click on NoodleBib. In the upper right hand corner is the statement "Current users: Sign In." You sign in using the personal identification you established the first time you used the tool.
At the next screen, there is a big header called "My Lists," which will, of course, be empty the first time you go there. If you've already created folders for your various classes or projects, they will be listed there.
In the upper right corner, you will see "Create a list." You follow that to create your bibliography, identifying the type of material you have and providing the data that the system needs to create the bibliographic citation.
You will also find a useful feature at the bottom of each citation screen called "check your errors." When you click that, anything that doesn't match your citation format will show up in red for you to fix.
If you have problems with this, we can talk about it.
If you need help with your topic searches, please contact
Aline Soules, 510-885-4596, aline.soules (at) csueastbay.edu
copyright Aline Soules 2007
under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/us/
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