Help: EBSCOhost

TO ACCESS

1. Begin on the Drain-Jordan Library homepage: (http://library.wvstateu.edu/) or access the library page from the top of the university server (http://www.wvstateu.edu)
2. Hover over "Research Tools" in the dropdown menu at the top of the page and roll down it to "Database Journal Articles." Select it.
3. This takes you to an alphabetic list of all the university's available databases. When you have chosen your database...
4. If you are oncampus, simply click on the large red name of your chosen database for access.
5. If you are off campus, you need to click on the small box at the end of your chosen database which says "off campus access" in red. This takes you to a WVSU server which validates you as WVSU student, faculty and staff and after confirmation passes you on to the vendor. For confirmation:
   
   Enter as your username the first part of your email address (everything before the @) and the password you use campus email. Warning: the most common mistake for off campus users is entering the full email address, instead of just the part before the @.

TO SELECT A DATABASE

Ebsco products are identified at the start of the database description. The library has several products (databases) from this vendor, but if your teachers made assignments to use EbscoHost, they are usually referring to "Academic Search Premier," which is a general database covering a wide ranch of topics. Most of the other Ebsco product subscriptions are subject specific databases. Academic Search Premier" provides FullText to nearly 4700 periodicals.

You can search individual or multiple databases Ebsco databases, once you are in EbscoHost, by clicking on the blue link "choose Databases" (above the search boxes), check databases titles to include in the current search, then the OK button to close the selection list window and return to your search. When you search one of the abstract/citation databases (without fulltext), also checkmark "Academic Search Premier" so the result list will crossLINK to any articles available in "Academic Search Premier."

TO SEARCH BY SUBJECT

To Limit: Before performing a search, you can limit your results to only articles with fulltext, by clicking (and checking) the box next to "Full Text." Also, you can limit your results to only article from peer reviewed ("scholarly") publications, by clicking (and checking) the box next to "Peer Reviewed."

If you are searching for a current topic, such as "road rage" or "mountaintop removal," a keyword search is the best starting point. However, limiting your search to the Subject field is usful when your topic is broad, like "schizophrenia" or "depression." To search by Subject:

1. Click on the third choice in the top green line that says "Subject Terms." This will open the "Subject Terms: screen, which looks Slightly different than the default keyword search screen.
2. After you press the Search key, a list of subject headings related to the subject will appear.
3. Check mark the index terms you wish to use in your search. These are the terms the EbscoHost database uses for "cataloging" the articles in their system.
4. You can search multiple terms using a boolean "and" or "or" or "not" by selecting from the pulldown box and using the "add" button to include additional terms.
5. Press the "search" button across from the "find" label to retrieve records (citations and/or articles).

TO PRINT

While viewing an individual citation with its abastract OR a full text article, you have the option of printing it.

1. Click on the blue PRINT button, located at the top (or the bottom) of the screen. This will open the "Print Manager" screen.
2. Select the format by clicking on a radio button.
3. Then click on the blue Print button. A gray Print box will open.
4. click the OK button in the gray Print box.
5. To return to the citation or full text article, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click on the blue Back button.

TO SAVE

While viewing an individual citation with its abstract OR a full text article, you have the option of SAVING it.

TO EMAIL

Also while viewing an individual citation with its abastract OR a full text article, you have the option of emailing it.

1. Click on the blue EMAIL button, located at the top (or the bottom) of the screen. This will opem tje E-mail Manager" screen.
2. Select the format by clicking on a radio button.
3. Click in the text box, and type in your email address and the subject of your email.
4. Then click on the blue EMAIL button. A screen with the message, "Your email has been sent will open.
5. Click the CONTINUE button.