*FVTC Online Library Home

Search using Ebsco Discovery Quick Search for FVTC 

Search

• Unlimited Search includes items you will need to order through interlibrary loan.
• Select FVTC catalog to find items you can borrow. (Overdrive digital books, audio books on CD, print books, magazines, etc..)
• Select full text to get digital items immediately available
  • If you do not like results then revise search
  • If you think the results look good: 
    • Select peer-reviewed if you need research grade articles.
    • Limit date range.
    • Scan Abstract
• If you like an article then open detailed record.  Click email icon and send copy to your email. 
• Broaden search by adding synonyms, or removing limits.
• Narrow search by looking at article subject tags
  • click subject tag to create DEscriptor search; MM for medical MeSH terms.
  • add peer-reviewed journals;
  • limit your date range. 
  • add more limits or ask a Librarian for assistance.

Return to email item or search again.

Citation Suggestions:

Many Database resources now provide citation suggestions for items you find in your search. 

You will need to ask your teacher if this is good enough or if you need to check it with a current style manual. Remember, only one style per paper.

BEFORE YOU START YOUR RESEARCH:

1.  Read your syllabus to make sure you know what is required for the assignment.
   • You wouldn't believe the number of times students have found 20 articles but only needed 5!
2. Expect to need citations for articles you use. Many databases provide citations by style.
   • Only use one style per project!

When you go to our library website

Check out our Resources by Topic to find database collection of articles,books, videos, etc. in digital format.

Start broad: use synonyms OR special vocabulary for the field.

• Start with fewer terms if you are not using OR operator. 
•  Each word added is a limit because the basic search will give you only the items with all the words you are using.
• Many times, you will get more results than you want.

Narrow with Limits.

• Full Text

• Limit (or not) to peer-reviewed articles: 

  • Limit to peer-reviewed if you are doing research.   (Reviewed by experts in the field before publication.)
  • Unselect Peer-reviewed if you are looking for other formats like videos, e-books, catalog of printed books, etc.
  • If you are looking for best practices, don't limit to peer-reviewed; you will miss trade magazines. (Post-publication peer-review.)

• Limit date range:

  • For many topics you will want to limit date range to last 5 or fewer years.
  • In some subject areas or fields, the date range needs to be wider.
  • You can de-select date range

Give yourself time to play around with different search strategies.

When in doubt, feel free to Ask a Librarian!

Searching by Title or by Author Makes Search Narrower.

•  keyword              (default)
•  title                     Use pull-down menu or TI added first, then terms
• author                 Use pull-down menu or AU added first, then author name