This guide is a companion to the Advanced Databases for Advanced Researchers workshop presented during OSU's New Graduate Student Library Day Orientation. Use the practice recommendations that accompany the videos and links below to familiarize yourself with how to use the advanced search tools available at OSU Libraries. 

Watch the Intro to Web of Science video below to learn how to:

• interpret the search results display and how you can change the results order
• narrow your search and see patterns in your Web of Science search results
• connect to other articles
• graphically view your search results
• access the full-text of an article. 

Note - use the chapter menu (three lines in the upper left corner of the video) to jump to different topics.

Click image below to view video.

Practice Recommendations:

• Enter your own search in Web of Science
• Look at the narrowing options
• Look at the sorting options
• Make a graph of your search results
• Open the full-text of an article

Watch the Searching in Subject Databases video below to learn:

• the benefits of using subject-specific databases
• how to find subject databases in your area at OSU Libraries
• how to narrow your results, think of new keywords, and set up saved searches
• how to troubleshoot your search, especially when you have few or no results.

Note - use the chapter menu (three lines in the upper left corner of the video) to jump to different topics.

Practice Recommendations:

• Choose a subject database in your field
• Enter some search terms
• Practice narrowing your search
• Find new keyword ideas
• Open the full-text of an article
• Look for options for setting up search alerts

Use this guide to learn tips for searching in 1Search for books, articles, or course reserves at OSU Libraries. Click image below to navigate to 1Search.

Watch this video to learn how to link your Google Scholar preferences and OSU Libraries so you can access articles the library subscribes to.

Alternatively, use these step-by-step instructions.

Watch this video to learn how to set up your OSU interlibrary loan account so you can get articles emailed to you — even when OSU Libraries doesn't have a subscription to the journal.

Watch this video to learn how to place a request through OSU's interlibrary loan.

Current OSU students, faculty, and staff must enter their ONID login information and DUO authentication to access OSU Libraries' resources. If an online resource is not working properly through the Libraries' proxy connection, OSU's VPN service can be used. Some OSU services require connecting via the VPN. For full VPN installation steps, see the VPN set up guide and select your operating system.

To learn more, read how to set up off-campus access to OSU Libraries' resources.

Here are some tricks of the trade to make your searches more effective (these work in most databases):

• Use quotes to search for an exact phrase or name
• Use an asterisk with word roots to expand beyond an exact word

Searching in Google? Try these tricks:

• Search for a specific file type - filetype:pdf
• Search within a particular website - site:nytimes.com
• Look for related words with a ~