| Many library catalogs and databases, including
those in George Mason's Library system, can be searched via the Internet.
Some library databases even have full texts that can be downloaded.
These library databases can be accessed from the Internet (generally
using an ID or password), but the databases are not on the Internet.
Library databases have control over what is included in their resources.
Material on the Internet can be posted by anyone, whether he/she is qualified
to address that subject or not. Credible organizations and individuals,
however, are publishing more and more on the Internet. There is reliable
and unreliable information on the Web and in print and other media;
therefore, it is important to develop the skills to discern what information
is credible and what is not. The Internet, because of its public nature
and the fact that anyone with an Internet account may publish her/his own
Web material, should cause all of us to question whether the information
is valid or not. Here are some guidelines to evaluate the credibility
of text sources
and
Internet
Sources
GMU Library: http://library.gmu.edu
(the entry point to the catalog, databases, references, help with research,
Web guides and tools.
GMU
Ask a Librarian - a real-time "virtual reference" service for students,
faculty, and staff to ask questions and be helped at home, at the office
or in a computer lab
GMU
Library databases
[The numerous library databases to which
GMU subscribes have their own variations of search procedures, including
boolean
operators, which can help you effectively narrow your searches.]
To access the GMU
Library databases from off campus,
see: access restricted
database information off-campus. You can click on the icon (see
below) that appears to the left of each
database.
You will then be asked to insert your Social Security number, without the
dashes.
[This icon is for display purposes only.]
Other databases
Some resources at the
GMU Library system:
Help
with Research - tutorials, classes, subject guides
Services-
your
library account info, disability info, circulation
info, reserve info, etc.
|
Search
options for GMU Library Catalog Search
for books, periodicals, media, course
reserves and other resources.
The system provides information about
the Library's materials collection
and information about materials placed
on course reserve by our faculty.
|
|
Search Options
|
Description
|
Example
|
|
Word and keywords
|
Use symbols like
+ for essential terms, * for important term" quotation marks for specific
phrases |
Chesapeake Bay
+ pfisteria
computer viruses *melissa
"Star Spangled Banner" |
|
Title / Author / Subject
|
If you know the
author, for example, a search of the name will bring up all books by that
author. |
title: Metaphysics
of virtual reality
author: heim michael
subject: virtual reality |
|
Guided Search
|
Allows you to
search specific fields from "drop boxes." You can also use boolean
operators like: AND, OR, NOT. Drop box choices include publisher's
name, publication date, author, title, subject, ISBN. |
computers AND
viruses
Shakespeare NOT MacBeth |
|
Advanced Search
|
Use boolean
operators ( AND, OR, NOT) to combine topics. The boolean operators
must
be
in CAPITAL letters."Nest" yoursearchterms with parentheses: ( ).
You can also use quotes ( " " ) and ? to truncate a word root. |
Comp? AND (y2k
or "Year 2000") |
|
Truncated search
|
will call up
all items with the same word root |
comp? will return
computer, computation, for example |
|
View search results
|
Click hyperlink
to view holdings in brief or long view |
shows author,
title, publisher, type of material, location, call number, status. |
|
Search History
|
Review searches
for the current search. Can edit a search |
Shows number
of "hits," database and search process |
|
Course
Reserves
|
Lists materials
faculty put on reserve for courses |
Search
by faculty name, course, section, department |
| Printing
and Saving Results: |
At
the bottom of the search results list, you can click on the print
or save icon or fill in the email name option to have the
results sent to you via email. |
| Some
other GMU library databases you can access online as GMU students/faculty/staff:
Aladin
-
| - |
WRLC - Washington Research
Library consortium - American, Catholic, Gallaudet, GMU, George Washington,
Marymount, UDC. (See list of WRLC
participating libraries) |
| - |
Image
collections |
| - |
Databases
in
humanities, science and technology, business, news, current affairs, social
science , periodical abstracts |
| - |
Library of Congress |
Reference
Resources online
VIVA
- Virtual Library of Virginia. consists
of the libraries of the 39 state-assisted colleges and universities (at
52 campuses) within the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Collections
- special collections and archives, government documents, media, American
type cultures
Infotrac and Infotrac Onefile
- (You can type this database name into the Articles and Index Databases
(GMU
Library databases) above.
[The numerous library databases to which
GMU subscribes have their own variations of search procedures, including
boolean operators, which can help you effectively narrow your searches].
Infotrac has many
FULL TEXT articles you can e-mail to yourself
and format to print.
Mark the article you want by clicking in
the "Mark" box. Click on the "View" link. Click on the "Retrieve" Icon.
Retrieve options:
- Reformat to print from Web browser
- Review and print from Acrobat Reader
- Deliver via email
OR
While viewing full text, select the "Save
as" option in your Web browser and save as a file to a disk or your hard
drive in your local computer. |
|
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