University of Leeds Academic Services

Electronic Journals: Advanced Session

Leeds University Library

Information Skills Programme

2003-2004

Last updated 30/05/03 LC

University of Leeds Academic Services

Purpose of this session

To help you locate an electronic journal (e-journal) in your subject area

To look at advanced features such as e-tocs, alerts and saved searches

To look at access issues such as passwords and registration

To use the links between databases and e-journals To explore subject/keyword searching

University of Leeds Academic Services

Quick recap – finding a journal

Search from the Library web pages using ‘Browse electronic journals by subject’ (e.g. Transport)

Search from the Library Catalogue using ‘subject search’ or ‘keyword search’

Start from a database such as Web of Science Science Citation Index

Search by subject within a resource such as Science Direct or Wiley

University of Leeds Academic Services

Added features of e-journals: special features

University of Leeds Academic Services

Special features

Keyword searching of the text

Gathering information together on a subject

Citation linking from bibliographies

‘Online first’ Comments, forums,

article submission Animation (for figures in

articles) Video or audio clips

University of Leeds Academic Services

Special features:subject and keyword searches

• Find any word or phrase mentioned in the article or journal

• Find related items on a similar subject• Combine searches (author, date etc.)

• BUT remember:• Access restrictions• Not all articles will be in full-text• Subject classifications vary

University of Leeds Academic Services

Special features:citation linking Use this to move to

articles in different databases and journal collections

Follow links from a bibliography or list of references

Integrating journals together

Seamless access from on-campus

CrossRef - allows the user to click on a citation and be taken directly to the target content

University of Leeds Academic Services

Example: Science Online

University of Leeds Academic Services

Special features:‘online first’ No waiting for the print copy to arrive

Access to pre-prints

Access to ‘online-only’ material

Quick and easy dissemination of research papers

University of Leeds Academic Services

Special features:comments and forums Can respond to an article online

Discuss developments with colleagues in your research area

Comment on current issues

Interactive experience

University of Leeds Academic Services

Special features:article submission Increasingly common in many subject fields

Allow your work to get into the publication process quickly

Some services allow publication before assigning to a volume and issue (e.g. Chemical Educator)

University of Leeds Academic Services

Special features:animation, video and audio Animated gif. files (e.g. PhysChemComm)

Video clips (e.g. Video Journal of Orthopaedics, Literature Online)

Audio files (e.g. Journal of 17th Century Music

Combination (see Science Direct for examples)

University of Leeds Academic Services

Special features:everything else

Can be -– searching– hyperlinks– forums– voting forms– graphics– javascript– pre-publication– added content

Useful for -– finding articles of

interest quickly– discussing article

with peers– exploiting the web

technology– active involvement in

the publication

University of Leeds Academic Services

Added features of e-journals: current awareness

University of Leeds Academic Services

Current awareness

E-tocs Alerting services:

– new issue– new article on a

particular topic Saved searches Personalisation

– ‘hot’ or ‘favourite’ journals

University of Leeds Academic Services

Current awareness:e-tocs Services such as ZETOC, or by individual publisher Allows anyone who registers their e-mail address to

be notified when new content (journal issues and articles) goes online

Saves time by focusing on e-journals of relevance to you

Allows you to access TOC even when you cannot view full-text of e-journal electronically

University of Leeds Academic Services

Current awareness:alerting services Allows anyone who registers their e-mail address to

be notified when new content in a defined topic area goes online

Helps keep you up-to-date in your subject area Generally covers one publisher or a small group of

publishers– examples: Wiley Interscience, Science Direct,

Synergy (see the workbook for more details)

University of Leeds Academic Services

Current awareness:saved searches Enter a topic or an author to run repeat searches on Remembers complicated combined searches without

you having to construct again Saves you time! Not available in every service, but most of the bigger

ones Search alert – a saved search which runs

automatically at a time specified by you Citation alert – alerts you when the article you are

viewing is cited by a new article

University of Leeds Academic Services

Current awareness:personalisation Can define which e-journals, topics and/or articles

you want to view on a regular basis

Retrieve all your alerts and saved searches from one place

Does not usually affect the design of a site, although you can change size of text, etc., yourself

University of Leeds Academic Services

What Next?

Explore the extra features of e-journals using worksheet provided

Take a look at coverage for your own subject area of interest

Exploit the e-journal collection to help with research and teaching