2.7-2.9

2.7 Article indexes

(sometimes referred to as databases) help you identify and find articles on your topic

2.8 Once you choose your subject you'll get

A list of indexes and databases that cover that area, with Best Bets featured at the top.

2.8 You can browse the indexes by subject using the

All Subjects drop-down menu

2.7 When you need to find a comprehensive set of articles on your topic, the most efficient finding tool to use is an

Article index. In the context of scholarly research, an index is an article finding tool, rather than a list of topics and page numbers in the back of a book.

2.9 Here are a few examples of subject-focused indexes to give you a better idea of what they can cover:

CAB Abstracts is one of the largest agricultural databases covering international research and development literature in the fields of agronomy, animal health, forestry, human health, nutrition, and management & conservation of natural resources. Design & Applied Arts Index (DAAI) is an international index that provides resources on topics related to design and applied arts such as advertising, product design, and architecture. It contains citations and abstracts of articles, news items, and reviews created from 1973 to the present. Compendex - Engineering Village is a highly comprehensive engineering database with over 14 million records from journals, conference proceedings and technical papers in all engineering disciplines. Coverage dates from 1884 to the present. Food Science and Technology Abstracts is produced by the International Food Information Service (IFIS), and is the world's leading database of information on food science, food technology and nutrition. Sociological Abstracts provides full-text access to resources on topics related to sociology such as family and marriage, social change, and culture. This index covers thousands of journals dating back to 1952 and includes articles, book chapters, and conference papers. ABI/INFORM Global searches worldwide business periodicals for in-depth coverage of business and economic conditions, management techniques, theory, and practice of business, advertising, marketing, economics, human resources, finance, taxation, computers, and more. ERIC (Education Resource Information Center, EBSCOhost Access) is a comprehensive index of education literature and curriculum materials, containing more than 1.3 million records and links to more than 323,000 full-text documents dating back to 1966. Communication & Mass Media Complete is a robust communication studies database. It provides full-text, indexing and abstracts for many top communication journals covering all related disciplines, including media studies, linguistics, rhetoric and discourse.

2.9 When you are doing in-depth research and need to find a

Comprehensive set of scholarly articles in a particular subject area, the best finding tool will almost always be an index focused on that subject.

2.9 Subject-focused indexes like these offer

Discipline-specific tools to help you search, sort, and focus your results. - For example, history databases let you search by the date an event occurred, whereas chemistry databases let you search by chemical compound. You will want to familiarize yourself with the indexes that relate to your classes so you can efficiently find the best sources for your projects.

2.7 Quick Search can help

Find some articles; however, if you find you need more results or highly specialized articles, the library has other tools that may be more effective. Quick Search is the best place to start your research if books or book chapters are what you need.

2.8 Indexes like Academic Search Ultimate are great for

Finding information when you're not sure which subject area your topic falls under. However, if you want to find in-depth research articles in a specific subject area, subject-focused indexes are a better choice.

2.8 Note: this search box does not find articles within the index, but instead

It searches names and descriptions of indexes or databases. When using the search box, it is best to use very general terms, such as "chemistry" or "design." If you're not sure which index to use, you can also use a general article database like Academic Search Ultimate.

2.8 The library provides a

List of Article Indexes & Databases that you have access to as an ISU student. You can access these from the library homepage.

2.7 Weaknesses Article indexes and databases

Often too specific for finding general or background information Interfaces may be clunky or not compatible with mobile devices May not include the full text of articles

2.8 Academic Search Ultimate has some interesting and unique features, including

Text to speech technology that can read articles to you. Other features include saving your search results, filtering articles to peer-reviewed journals only, and generating citations for your bibliography.

2.9 Depending on your topic, you may need to use more than

One subject-focused index. - Let's say you want to learn more about marketing new products to college students and influencing their buying behavior. In this example, you'd probably want to search a business-focused index (such as ABI/INFORM) and maybe also an index focused on sociology or psychology (such as Sociological Abstracts or PsycInfo). Each index will retrieve articles with different viewpoints, keywords, or subject emphases. Talk with your course instructor or a subject librarian if you need help identifying the right indexes for your topic.

2.7 An article index allows you to

Search for your topic in hundreds of journals at once, so using an index is a huge time saver when you don't have one specific journal in mind. Some indexes also cover magazines, newspapers, book chapters, conference presentations, dissertations, or other materials.

2.7 Strengths Article indexes and databases

The best finding tool for locating scholarly articles Provide many robust search features that give you control over your searches Provide a list of what subjects and dates are covered Provide a list of which journals and conference publications may be found within Connect directly to full-text articles Subject-specific indexes cover an extensive set of journal articles and other materials focused on a subject area

2.9 To find out which tools are the best for your needs, you will probably need

To explore a few of them and compare your search results in each. In scholarly research, one-stop-shopping doesn't happen very often. Instead, you need to use the right tools for the right job and be willing to experiment. In the next chapter, we will discuss how to use these finding tools effectively by implementing effective search strategies.

2.7 Indexes provide a

Variety of robust advanced search features to help researchers focus their searches. You can typically select, sort, and download articles or article abstracts. For scholarly research, indexes tend to be either general purpose or subject-focused.

2.8 Similar to Quick Search, when you get results from Academic Search Ultimate........

You'll see filters listed on the left side of your screen. You can use these to focus your search results in various ways.

2.7 Abstracts are

brief summaries of articles, books, and other published materials. These help you decide whether you want to read the full item.

2.8 General purpose article indexes

cover many different subject areas and often include articles from magazines and newspapers as well as from scholarly journals - One good example of a general purpose index is Academic Search Ultimate. Because it covers many different subject areas, a general purpose index like this can be a good place to start.

2.8 If you know the name of the article index you want, you can find it by using the

default A-Z list or by using the search box. Then click on the name of the index you want to use.

2.7 The ISU Library subscribes to hundreds of article indexes providing access to articles. Each index is different in terms of:

subject(s) covered types of materials included whether materials are peer-reviewed whether abstracts or full text materials are provided dates included languages included overall look and search options

2.8 The Subjects dropdown on the Article Indexes & Databases page brings you

to a list of article indexes hand-picked by the librarian for that subject. If you need help with your research, that librarian's contact information is listed there so you can contact them with questions.