Collins Memorial Library: SSI2-141: Architectures of Power: Comparing Search Tools

Comparing and Evaluating Search Tools

Each group will work together to explore one of our library's discovery tools and conduct a preliminary investigation into our research topic on book bans and censorship in school libraries.

Answer these questions about the tool your group used in this Google Doc: Database Searching

Search terms used.
Are there any "advanced search" options?
What types of sources are included? Are the sources popular, scholarly or a mix?
Scan the first page or two of your results. What aspects of your topic do the sources discuss?
How can you get to the full text of articles?
How can you save an article for later or send it to yourself?
Are there any tools to help you cite articles?
Anything else interesting (or frustrating?) about the database?

Search these key databases to find scholarly articles. Different discovery tools have different interfaces, but they all have advanced search features, and filters to limit your results. We will come back together for discussion and each group will share with the class their answers to the questions above.

SAGE Knowledge This link opens in a new window
The social sciences platform for SAGE and CQ Press books, reference materials and other content.

Primo
Primo a library search tool for finding materials in the Collins Library and Summit libraries. You can search for books, selected articles and more in a single search box.

JSTOR This link opens in a new window
An interdisciplinary journal archive. It includes archives of over one thousand leading academic journals across the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, as well as select monographs and other materials valuable for academic work. Includes the Artstor image collections.
Education Database This link opens in a new window
Gives users access to top educational publications. The coverage spans the literature on primary, secondary and higher education as well as special education, home schooling and adult education.
ERIC (Education Resource Information Center) This link opens in a new window
The Education Resource Information Center, provides access to education literature and resources.

Google Scholar

Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window
A multidisciplinary database containing full text journal, magazine & newspaper articles, many from peer-reviewed titles. This scholarly collection covers information in nearly every area of academic study.