Module 7.
OCLC Firstsearch
How to Access Firstsearch
How to Search Firstsearch

Contents:
Introduction
Module 1: How to Solve an Information Problem
Module 2: Search Techniques
Module 3: SD Library Network
Module 4: Proquest
Module 5: Infotrac
Module 6: Lexis-Nexis
Module 8: 
Module 9: 
Module 10: 
Module 11: Internet Searching
Module 12: Evaluating Internet sources
Module 13: Scholarly vs. Popular
Module 14: Citing sources
Module 15: How to Get Material Not Available Online

Module 7 OCLC Firstsearch

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OCLC Firstsearch is an information service providing access to over 60 databases of various kinds... including a worldwide library catalog, many journal indexes, and reference sources. The databases provide access to information on a broad range of subjects.

Why use Firstsearch?

Use Firstsearch when you need access to databases -- particularly journal indexes -- that are not available in other electronic information services.

IMPORTANT: You should not use Firstsearch until you have explored other information services for your topic and have a clear idea of exactly what you need to find. This is important because of the expense of searching Firstsearch. You will learn more about this later in the module.

For example....

• Someone who is interested in problems in the engineering field needs access to engineering indexes that are not in SDLN, or in Infotrac, etc. Firstsearch gives access to such indexes.

• An education student might be interested in a topic in psychology that is not adequately covered in the ERIC databases in SDLN. Indexes for psychology are accessible in Firstsearch.

• A biology student knows that she must use BasicBIOSIS in Firstsearch to get to the scholarly literature on her topic, but first uses Expanded Academic Index in Infotrac Searchbank to find out what search words retrieve the most material and to find out the best way to search her topic. Once she is familiar enough with the topic and has narrowed it sufficiently, she is prepared to search BasicBiosis efficiently and effectively.

Using Firstsearch Cost-Effectively

Beware! The library is charged approximately 60 cents each time you hit the "search" button in a Firstsearch database -- that is, each time you enter or limit a search. If you link to the full-text of an article, the library is charged approximately $3.00. [No other activities in Firstsearch accrue charges.]

This makes Firstsearch different from the other information services you have learned to use. For all the other information services to which the Mundt Library subscribes, the library pays a single price for a year's access. The more you use those information services, the more the library is getting for its money. With Firstsearch, however, we pay by the search....

So you need to use Firstsearch wisely. Try not to make typos that will result in wasted searches. Please plan searches in advance and minimize the number of searches you use to find the material you need. Complete Module 7 to make sure you are prepared to search Firstsearch effectively.

Do use Firstsearch when you need its databases. But remember to use other information services if they will provide the information you need. Use other information services to explore your topic and go to Firstsearch when you have a better idea of exactly what you need to find.

Because of the cost of Firstsearch, you need an authorization number and a password to use it. Instructions for obtaining an authorization number and password appear later in this module.

What will I get when I search Firstsearch?

In most cases, you will retrieve citations to articles about the subject you searched. Some databases also include an abstract (a brief description of the item) with each article citation. Depending on the database, you may also find citations for books, films, computer software, Internet resources, and other materials. A few databases do include the full-text of the articles.

How will I get the material I find in Firstsearch?

See Module 15 to learn how to get material that is not available online.

Firstsearch will also send copies of articles directly to you, but it will usually cost megabucks (especially compared to Interlibrary Loan which is free and described in Module 15) -- so avoid ordering online from Firstsearch unless you are feeling rich and desperate.

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