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SC2101 Methods of Social Research TutorialSC2101 Methods of Social Research Tutorial
Presented by Hayati Abdul
Information ServicesNUS Libraries
Searching Sociological Abstracts
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Objectivess
To help you:
• Search Sociological Abstracts effectively
• Search LINC, the Library catalogue
• Access resources and services via the Library portal
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Outline
• Getting started• Build your search• Understand and use your results• Citation styles
• Hands-on session– Sociological Abstracts– LINC
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What is Sociological Abstracts?
• It is a primary resource for accessing the latest research in Sociology and related disciplines
• It provides abstracts of– journal articles, books, book chapters,
dissertations, conference papers & book reviews• Producer: CSA Illumina, Bethesda Maryland• Dates of coverage: 1952-present• Sociological Abstracts can be accessed from CSA
Illumina homepage by– selecting Sociological Abstracts, then click on
Continue to search
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Getting started from Library portal
• Several ways to access Sociological Abstracts from Library portal:
1. Set your Preferences
2. Under E-Resources, select Databases > Browse Databases by Subject > Sociology & Social Work > Sociological Abstracts
3. Under Search for Database/E-Journal/E-Book Title, enter Sociological Abstracts & click Search
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Build your search• What information are you looking for?
– Identify general concepts
• Ask yourself these questions:– What general terms relate to your search?– eg. Blogging and identity
•(Bloggers or blogs or blogging) AND identity
– Are you looking for •specific authors’ works?•specific journals?
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Refine or broaden your search: Boolean Operators
• Use AND to combine terms
• Use OR to broaden search– find synonyms, alternate
spellings
• Use NOT to narrow search– casino gambling NOT
internet gambling
OR
aged elderly
casino gambling
internet gambling
blogging
identity
AND
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Refine or broaden search: Wildcard symbols
• Asterisk * is used for– Truncation to retrieve all terms with only
part of the word specified•global* retrieves global, globally,
globalisation, globalization
– Multi-character wildcard for finding alternative spellings
– behavi*r retrieves behaviour or behavior
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Let’s search the following topic:
Blogging and identity
blogs oror
blogging oror
bloggers
identity
blog* and identityblog* and identity
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Quick Search: Single Terms
Enter terms in search box
Click Search Tips for help
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View Results
Sort options
View record
Results listed by publication types
Look for searched
terms
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View Record
Save, print, email
Read abstract
journal title
year
vol & issue no
pages
month
Mark record
Look for searched
terms
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Save, Print, Email & QuickBib
Select ASA citation style
Click to create bib
Save
Select format
Use marked records or specify records
Add comments
Choose MS Word
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Bibliography created from QuickBib
Check references for accuracy
Save, print, email
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Check LINC for full-text
Click for e-version
Limit to journals collection
Search journal title
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Access E-version of article
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Check LINC for journal print copy
For hard copies, either Specify volume or year.or click View additional copies
Search journal title
Limit to journals collection
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Let’s search the following topic (phrases):
Life stage transitions in young adults
life stage transitions young adults
life stage transitions and young adultslife stage transitions and young adults
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Quick Search: Combining Phrases
Enter phrases in search box
Can limit by date range
Click Search Tips for help
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View Search Results
Sort by relevanceMark records
Results listed by publication types
View record
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View Record
Read abstract
journal title
year
vol. & issue nopages
month
Look for searched
terms
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Save, Print, Email & QuickBib
Select ASA citation styleCreatebib
Save
Select format
Add comments
Use marked records or specify records
Choose MS Word
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Create a Bibliography using QuickBib
Save, print, email
Check references for accuracy
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Check LINC for full-text
Click for e-version
Print copies
Search journal title
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Access E-journal article
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Let’s search the following topic:
Influence of rap music on behaviour of youths
rap youths behaviormusic
rap and music and youth and rap and music and youth and behaviorbehavior
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Advanced Search: Anywhere
Enter search terms
Select Anywhere
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View Results
Sort by relevanceMark records
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View Record
Look for searched
terms
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Let’s search the following topic:
Representation of the male body in popular magazines
malesbody image
orormasculinity
magazines
males and (body image or masculinity)males and (body image or masculinity) and magazines and magazines
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Advanced Search: Keywords field
Select keywords from list of searchable fields
Enter search terms
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View Results
Save, print, email
Searched terms occur in title, abstract
& descriptors simultaneously
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View Record
Save, print, email
Searched terms occur in title, abstract
& descriptors simultaneously
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Check LINC for full-text
Click for e-version
Check hard copy
Search journal title
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Check LINC for full-text
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Search the following topic:
Social implications of casino gambling
social casino** gambl**
social and casino* and social and casino* and gambl*gambl*
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Search the following topic:
Single men’s perceptions towards marriage
single malesperceptions
ororattitudes
marriage
single and males and marriageand (perceptions or attitudes)
Quick Recap…Quick Recap…
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Quick Search Mode
Features• Enter word or words or terms in search box
– e.g. blogging and identity
• Searched words are not case sensitive– No need to use capital letters
• Quick search defaults to Anywhere search including references if available
• Can search for multiple words or phrases– e.g. life stage transitions retrieves exact phrase
• Can limit by date range or specific databases• Click on Search Tips for help on building search
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View Search Results• Results are listed in a single combined list
– By published works, by publication types• Journals • Peer-Reviewed Journals• Conferences• Books
– Click on in front of Multiple Databases for results from different databases
– Sort results by • Most recent first• Relevance rank
– Click on descriptors for more articles on subject
+
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Save, Print, Email Records & Create a Bibliography
• Search input is repeated below search results• Marked records are added to ‘Update
Marked List’• Select record format• Select output options
– Save, Print, Email marked records or specific records
• Create a bibliography using QuickBib facility– Under Choose document format
• Choose MS word– Under Bibliographic style
• Choose ASA from drop-list
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Advanced Search Mode
Features• Allows for multi-searching
– At search strategy area you can• Add/delete rows • Use drop-down menu to
– perform field-specific searches (e.g. title, keywords)
– construct Boolean queries (AND, OR, NOT)• Limit searches by
– publication type and date– specifying the presentation of results
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Advanced Search mode
Features• Can search by specific fields (e.g.
keywords)– Using the pull-down menus,
• choose the keyword option to search the title, abstract, and descriptors simultaneously
• Save, print, email records• Create a bibliography using QuickBib
facility
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Citation Manuals & Writing
• Citation manuals– American Sociological Association. ASA style
guide. (HM73 Ame) – Quick style guide for students writing Sociology
papers– A guide to writing Sociology papers. (HM73 Gui) – Citation Styles in LION (Library Instruction Online)
• Research & Writing– The sociology student writer's manual. (HM585
Soci 2004)– Studying society : the essentials. (HM571 Eva
2006 )
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Getting Help
• Library Instruction Online– Online help on how to
•cite references•search databases
• Student Advisory ServiceHelp with:
• your research topic• using databases
– Information Desk 5th Floor– Email: [email protected]