Information Literacy for MAT 101 » FAQ

Boolean Search Terms in Databases

Prof. Spiegelman — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 19:06:26 +0000

Professor Spiegelman

In the Library session we used boolean logic to limit and expand our searches in the databases. We used AND to narrow, OR to expand and NOT to exclude. Sometimes we used combinations of these terms in search strings with parentheses to change the order of precedence. For example, mp3s or downloads would return articles about either one. Ife we want only articles about ringtones we would write the search as (mp3s or downloads) and ringtones. If we want articles about mp3s or downloads that are not ringtones, we would enter the search string, (mp3s or downloads) not ringtones. Some databases have very specific rules about the order of precedence so check the help screens.
With search engines like Google and Ask, instead of the words themselves, we use + for and , we use - for not. BUT we never use /\ or \/ in databases or search engines.

To do the assignment, be sure to use the correct syntax for the database you have been assigned. If you have any questions, please email me!

Do I Have To Bookmark (Add to Favorites) This Site?

Richard Glass — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 02:27:06 +0000

The answer is a resounding NO. This WordPress (http://glassrmat101.wordpress.com) site and my assignments are accessible through a RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed. What this means is that if you use News feed aggregator in your browser, an Optimum Online, a Google, Yahoo or similar third party home page, or have installed a news feed reader on your local work station chances you can view this site add this site and the homework without ever remembering the web address.

One can always tell when a website offers a newsfeed, they are denoted by those cute little orange images such as
or or . You may have clicked on one of these and received a whole mess of junk. That junk is XML and you really don‘t need to know anything about that. What you need is the URL or the address in the location field of your browser.

For example, from the blog page, you will notice a next to the word Assignments. If you click on that image, the URL or address you are taken to is the following: http://www.matcmp.sunynassau.edu/~glassr/rss/mat101/MAT101-Assignments.xml. This is the address you need to read the assignments.

To read the entire blog as a feed, the URL is http://glassrmat101.wordpress.com/feed.

For example, if you use Optimum Online, you can read the feeds by doing the following:

Click on the feed and copy the URL from the location bar.
Go to your Optimum Home page and click on personalize content. Remember, log in first.
Click on RSS Headlines on the right hand side.
Where it says Add Your Own, paste the RSS feed there.
Click on Add then Save All at the bottom. Make sure you choose the Display radio button.

Remember, you can add any feed to your home page, not just my assignments.

NOTE: I will give one point extra credit on your final average (to a maximum of 2 points) for instructions on how to add RSS feeds to your browser or other home pages.

What are subscription databases and how are they accessed?

Prof. Spiegelman — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 01:19:15 +0000

Subscription databases are digital collections of periodical articles, essays and reference works. The Library subscribes to many different databases to provide accurate, authoritative, current material for your research needs. Some are subject-specific, while others are multidisciplinary.

To access a particular database, go to the NCC Library homepage , library.ncc.edu , locate the heading How to Find Articles/Databases on the left side, and click on Resources A-Z. The databases are listed alphabetically. The drop-down menu below that lists the databases by subject area.

To access the databases from home, follow the same steps as above. At the prompt, submit the14-digit barcode number on your NCC student ID card.

MLA Documentation

Prof. Spiegelman — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 16:12:28 +0000

To cite a website or an article from a subscription database in your blog entry, use the appropriate MLA citation format. Instructions and sample formats are available on the NCC Library homepage, http://library.ncc.edu . Click on MLA Citations in the left column, or go to the URL http://library.ncc.edu/mlacitation.htm