Geography 602, Professor Wechsler
University Library Research
Greg Armento, Geography Librarian
greg.armento@csulb.edu, x54367
LIBRARY DATABASES FOR GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS/SCIENCE RESEARCH
START WITH ACADEMIC SEARCH COMPLETE AND SELECT A SUITE OF DATABASES
STEP 1. From the library home page under DATABASES BY TITLE, Go to Academic Search Complete
STEP 2. When this database opens, go to blue letters near top that reads CHOOSE DATABASES
STEP 3. Select the following DATABASES that have potential geography related interest, click OK when done: (OR you can go for broke and “select all databases”)
STEP 4. Enter into the database search box this search strategy exactly as you see it.
"geographic information system*" OR "geographic information science" OR gis
OR if you are interested in "drones" this could be your strategy
uav OR uas OR uuv OR drone* OR "unmanned aerial"
STEP 5. OPTIONAL: If you want higher relevance, to the right of each search box is a "select a field". Drop it down box to SUBJECT to get higher relevancy tagged items.
STEP 6. Check to see that AND is selected between each box where searches are entered. This gets the intersect of concepts.
STEP 7. OPTIONAL: If you want to emphasize primary scientific research, enter empirical in search box and use drop down to right to limit to SUBJECT. (also try quantitative or model*). (Look for article headings labeled "materials", "methods", "results")
For a concise definition of what is a primary source, review article, and secondary research in in the sciences, see this summary produced at another librarian (at Muhlenberg University).
STEP 8. In the next box type in one word that is included in one journal title that you'd like to single out such as GIS or Transactions. In the drop down box to the right, select SOURCE. (This will find the word in the title of the journal itself.)
Professor Wechsler has recommended on your assignment a list of select GIS related journals. Use some of these titles in step 8 above. For a list of other highly regarded geography journals, see this list.
STEP 9. To get only scholarly journal articles. At the lower left of the search screen, mark the box that reads scholarly (PEER REVIEWED) journals and select UPDATE. OR if you want trade journals or technical articles, newsletters, look at the far left of the screen and select a SOURCE TYPE
STEP 10. When you have your record open, look to the far right for a CITE link. It will tell you how to cite that item in your bibliography.
STEP 11. E-mail these results off to yourself for later reading, printing. Make sure to send in the correct citation style.
TRY OUR NEW INTERDISCIPLINARY SEARCH PORTAL OneSearch
OTHER USEFUL SCHOLARLY DATABASES FOR GIS AND "DRONES"