Did You Know...We Have Our Own Google Scholar!

Although your average reference librarian will usually suggest that using one or more of our (expensive) fulltext-rich, enhanced scholarly databases is the best way to tackle most academic research, we also recognize that people love to just Google their topics.  The massive, scatter-shot nature of Google always ensures that you will get some results, no matter what you plug into the search box.  And if those results are not the best possible research materials, many students (and some faculty) don't much care.

Google is smart enough to know that to be all things to all people, they needed to help academics winnow out more scholarly materials when they search.  Hence, Google Scholar.  The company says that "Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and other web sites. Google Scholar helps you find relevant work across the world of scholarly research."  And although they are not exactly transparent about what goes in and what doesn't, they do have information about inclusion and metrics at this page.

One of the (several) frustrations about Google Scholar is, however, that much of the scholarly literature they index is in publisher databases that charge a lot of money.  If a database doesn't know who you are or how you are academically-affiliated, they will likely offer to provide easy access to a wide variety of peer-reviewed journal articles if you are willing to provide credit card information and pay between $15 and $75 dollars to view and download them.  But, remember those expensive databases I mentioned in the first paragraph? We own or subscribe to a myriad of them.  And those databases might well provide "free" access to those same articles as long as you are a current student or faculty of CAS/SBS!  But YOU MUST GO THROUGH OUR VERSION OF GOOGLE SCHOLAR.

As you can see from the URL in this screenshot,  the link to Google Scholar that you find on our homepage or in our LibGuides actually runs through our proxy server, allowing you to be authenticated and recognized as a Suffolk University researcher, no matter where you are, 24/7.

So when you do a search and get results, a great many of the articles that might come from sources like JSTOR, Wiley Online Library, Sage Journals Online and other databases, will open for you (after you authenticate) when you click on the title.

Keep an eye out for the 360Link that you sometimes see to the right.  This will check our eJournal Locator across all databases. This clickable access can make research much easier.  But be aware of two things.  First, not all materials cited in Google Scholar come from scholarly journal databases.   And, secondly, like all libraries, we do not own all items or all databases.  So, our version of Google Scholar can be a great help, it is not the magic bullet of universal literature access.  (Alas, universal open access is just a dream we dreamed.)

Also, consider using the Advanced Search Option in Google Scholar--

a hard-to-spot popup box. Here, you can indicate an author you want, look for an exact phrase (even just in the title of the article) or specify a date range.  This allows for (slightly) more focused searching.

But there are other things that Google Scholar can be useful for besides providing a wide-ranging index with links.  Did you know that many people use it to track cited references of important articles?  For an explanation of that, see this LibGuide page.  And related to this, some software and services actually use Google Scholar to do the kind of "citation analysis" we usually associate with the "impact factor."  Publish or Perish is an example.

And did you know that you can export Google Scholar references to RefWorks?  It's one of the "Settings."

 And for more on RefWorks, see this guide.

So, yes, Google Scholar can be a useful tool because it searches across so many materials.  But it is essential that you critically evaluate the items you find in it--especially those NOT from a peer-reviewed journal.  There are some sources in Google Scholar (like other student term papers) that your professor will probably not want to see on your bibliography.

Bottom line, if you are planning on using Google Scholar, be cautious and critical.  And if you are a member of the Suffolk community, be sure to use our version to reduce dead-end (or costly) frustration!

Staff Notes: Farewell to Becky Fulweiler!

It is with great personal regret that I announce the otherwise happy news of the retirement of our beloved Library Director, Rebecca Fulweiler today.  Becky came to Sawyer Library back in 1996 as Assistant Director for Reference Services.

She tells me that my greeting to her was less than enthusiastic.  (What can I say, I've always been a tactless wench.)  Evidently I went to lunch with her soon after she started and told her, point blank, that I had supported another candidate for the job. 

Still, it didn't take long for me and everyone else to figure out that Becky was a treasure--smart, hard-working, and infinitely patient and kind.  What's not to love?  And, indeed, we all do love her.

After working for several years as the AD for user services, Becky switched to being Assistant Director for Technical Services in 2000.  She cataloged, oversaw processing and orders, and was an absolute eagle-eye with our quite complex budget.

After doing both Assistant Director jobs, she was the obvious choice to take over from the estimable Bob Dugan as Library Director.  At first she called herself "Acting" Director, then "Interim."  But as far as we were concerned she was simply our able leader.  But even as Becky took the helm, she put University administration on notice that she didn't want to stay long in the job.  She was eager to retire and move to Arizona to be closer to her lovely daughter, Beth, and her granddaughters Lily and Amelia.

And now, that is exactly what she plans to do.  We are very happy for her as she makes this change.  But sorry for us!  We will miss you, Becky.  May you enjoy every minute of your new life journey!

Note: For now the Library Director position will be vacant.  But a great search committee (which includes Connie Sellers and myself from the Library staff) led by Provost Michael Bell, is hard at work finding a new Director for Sawyer Library.  In the meantime, feel free to contact me about any library matter.  I will be Acting Director in the short term.  And our experienced Reference Librarians, who are available most hours that the library is open, can also address any questions or concerns.  You can reach Reference at sawlib@suffolk.edu or by phone at 617-573-8532.

Notable E-Book: Popular Controversies in World History

Sometimes, it is tempting to think of history as a static and set and agreed upon.  But nothing, of course, could be further from the truth.  Our perceptions of the past are constantly changing and on many (many) topics, historians and the general public continue to debate "what happened" decades, even centuries, after events played out.

We've just added a new eReference set that makes for a fun browse because it gathers together scores of those historical debates in one place.

Popular Controversies in World History : Investigating History's Intriguing Questions, edited by Steven L. Danver, was published by ABC-CLIO, but we deliver it on our familiar Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL) platform.  Here, you can easily search, browse, read and print 58 entry/chapters contained in all four volumes.

Here's how the publisher describes it: "Covering prehistoric times to the modern era, this fascinating resource presents pro-and-con arguments regarding unresolved, historic controversies throughout the development of the world. Did ancient Egyptians really use slaves to construct the pyramids? Could Charles Darwin have "borrowed" his idea of evolution from sociologist and philosopher Herbert Spencer? Was John F. Kennedy elected president only as a result of voter fraud committed by the Mafia? Researchers exploring the earliest eras of history have offered vigorous, plausible answers—both yes and no—for these and a number of other unresolved questions.

Popular Controversies in World History: Investigating History's Intriguing Questions offers uniquely compelling and educational examinations of pivotal events and puzzling phenomena, from the earliest evidence of human activity to controversial events of the 20th century.

From the geographic location of human origins, to the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin, to the innocence—or guilt—of Sacco and Vanzetti, Popular Controversies in World History: Investigating History's Intriguing Questions provides four volumes on the ongoing debates that have captivated both the historical community and the public at large. In each chapter, established experts offer credible opposing arguments pertaining to specific debates, providing readers with resources for independent critical thinking on the issue. This format allows students, scholars, and other interested readers to actively engage in some of the most intriguing conundrums facing historians today."

A Choice review acknowledges that the set is "fun to use," and cites its "admirable number of non-Western topics. The essays are chapter-length, and all have an extensive bibliography."  And it should be noted that the provided "References and Further Reading" lists are important, since this set walks the line between general readership and academia.  So, if you were doing a paper on one of these topics, you would not want to rely on an entry as a sole or even major source.  The kind of reading you'd do here would just be a starting point for your research.

Popular Controversies in World History joins another paper series, History in Dispute, as good basic reference for historical controversies.  And if you are interested in more current matters of pro-con debate, please explore the many options offered in our LibGuide called Current Issues: Pro and Con.

New Databases: PsycTHERAPY & PsycTESTS

With advanced degrees in Psychology here at Suffolk, it's no surprise that we try to add useful, professional-grade online resources to our offerings.  We've recently added two databases produced by the American Psychological Association (APA).

A press-release describes the first this way: "PsycTHERAPY is a database of therapy demonstration videos specifically developed to enable viewers to observe how therapists spontaneously employ different approaches and techniques in practice. At launch, PsycTHERAPY’s more than 300 videos provide illustrative examples from nearly 100 of the most renowned therapists in North America at work with participants (including individuals, couples, and families) via different approaches with persons facing an array of psychological challenges. Specific clinical topics and challenges (more than 200 in total) featured in videos include many of the main issues dealt with in psychotherapy and counseling, including addiction, anxiety, depression, divorce, and health and relationship problems. The database reflects the full breadth of clinical practice in the variety of approaches and topics represented in its content. Additional content is scheduled to be added to PsycTHERAPY on a biannual basis.

PsycTHERAPY is searchable in multiple ways. To ensure the most precise searching, each video is coded with index terms and metadata about the participants, the session content, and therapeutic approaches demonstrated. In addition, each video in PsycTHERAPY has a synchronized transcript, highlighting the content being spoken; users can skip to a desired section of the video by clicking on the corresponding text in the transcript."

For a Monitor on Psychology article about PsycTHERAPY , see this link.  And for a tutorial on browsing the database effectively, click here.

By the way, I should warn users that because we run our databases through our proxy server (causing a mismatch in the APA's URLs) you may well get an unsettling warning when you try to access PsycTHERAPY that looks something like this:

Just click past it and don't be alarmed.  We are trying to get this issue addressed, but it is not a real security threat.  (For more on this odd occurrence, see this earlier blog entry.)  You will also have to accept a "Disclaimer" agreement before accessing the database.  This is also a benign step.

We've also added another APA file, but put it on the more familiar EBSCOhost platform.  PsycTESTS  joins our long-standing psychological test database, Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print  as a key tool for identifying valid testing instruments.  APA describes PsycTESTS as "a simple yet comprehensive solution for libraries and their patrons looking for access to test content. PsycTESTS will be updated monthly and includes more than 2,200 indexed test records, with more than 1,500 ready-to-use instruments."  And that last phrase is the key.  Unlike files that only identify useful measures, PsycTESTS actually provides access to selected tests.

To read a Library Journal review of PsycTESTS (which looked at the clunkier PsycNET version), click here.  Although not uncritical, the review concludes that PsycTESTS is "a small but focused database that fills a specific information need."

And for an interesting tutorial on tracking the reliability and validity of the available instruments using the EBSCOhost version, see this YouTube video.

[Find PsycTHERAPY and PsycTESTS on our A-Z database list, or in our Subject Database List for the Social Sciences.]

New Database: Mergent Intellect

This particular new database, useful for many B-School folks, is less a "new" database, than a rebranding--and a work in progress, at that!

At the start of 2012, Mergent (from whom we already got a financials-rich database called MergentOnline) became "the exclusive provider of D&B Library Solutions" like the benchmark product Key Business Ratios, Hoover's Academic and the industry information database, First Research.  Unfortunately, the transition has not been a completely smooth one.  First Research requires clicking far too many buttons before doing a search, and the old Hoover's platform never worked through our proxy server after the Mergent takeover.

That's why we have switched over to a new Mergent-branded database called Mergent Intellect--which is, essentially, a beefed-up version of Hoover's.

A company press release before the launch of Mergent Intellect claimed it was "a new web-based product. Mergent Intellect is highly flexible and features a deep collection of worldwide business information that enables companies to generate new insightful business intelligence. Powered by Mergent’s expertise in developing products for the reference marketplace with D&B/Hoover’s 85 million+ private company database, Mergent Intellect offers new and existing clients a unique opportunity to access private and public U.S. and international business data, industry news (First Research), facts and figures, company and executive contact information and much more."

That may be.  But, as I've indicated, this is basically a re-vamped Hoover's.  (Still, the important thing for Sawyer Library is that the new file actually works...even though operations tend to be slow!)  Many users will want to use this resource the same way they did Hoover's, to get a good overview of a company.  And although the database does include basic information for many private and international firms, it is strongest in providing info on U.S. public companies.

If you look up a public company, it is worth moving the radio button on the opening screen from "Both" to "Public" as you are more likely to pull up just your company and not a long list of poor matches.  Once on the initial company screen, note the options in the dark blue border above the "Key Information."  And whatever page you are on, you'll want to pay attention to the additional options in the lighter blue left frame.  When I look up Target, as an example, the useful links for Company History and a Competitors List are links to the left of the opening landing page.

The Company History is fairly straightforward (and valuable!), but although the competitors list is worthwhile (since each listed name is an active link that allows you to explore the other company), the initial display--at least on the searches I did--lists all the financial values on the competitors table at $0--which isn't exactly useful as a quick financial snapshot for comparing the companies!

Likewise, if you explore the top frame options, you'll probably have to explore a left-frame secondary choice on the next page for more and better information.  The initial "Industry Details" screen looks quite insignificant, as it only lists major segment categories as words. But if you actually go to the SIC codes from the left frame, and click an appropriate link, the database will transfer you over to its industry report partner, First Research and perform an industry search for that code.

You can export your reports, mailing lists, etc. to Microsoft Excel, Word or Adobe Acrobat, as well as print.  Look for icon links to the upper right.

And as an added option for those who want it,  there's a link in the top frame to a white pages ("Residential Search") database that will identify someone by name, provide an address and phone number, and even map their location.  (Privacy alert!)  Of this, Mergent says: "Through WhitePages Pro, Mergent Intellect will now include immediate access to contact information for 90 percent of U.S. households, including name, address, age, household members, and previous address, as well as offer reverse phone lookup capabilities."

Mergent Intellect is, frankly, not as smart or as user-friendly as it ought to be.  And we have been trying to get "user guide" information from the company for some time, but to no avail.  Hopefully, it will improve as it ages.  For now, those looking for what used to be Hoover's (who don't want to hunt down those profiles in LexisNexis Academic or ABI/INFORM Complete--where they can also be found) will likely find this database worth exploring.

[Find Mergent Intellect on our A-Z database list, or in our Subject Database List for Business & Management.]

New Database: Computers & Applied Sciences Complete

Computers and related technologies are a part of all aspects of life and culture, from corporate systems to digital art to educational aids to medical diagnosis to social media to rock music production.  Suffolk classes from both the B-School and the College of Arts & Sciences all touch on countless topics related to new technologies.

Therefore, we have added a full spectrum database called Computers & Applied Sciences Complete (CASC) from EBSCOhost.  It "covers the research and development spectrum of the computing and applied sciences disciplines. It contains collected knowledge on traditional engineering challenges & research, and is a resource for research concerning the business and social implications of new technology." CASC provides indexing and abstracts for more than 2,200 academic journals, professional publications, and other diverse reference sources. Although a newish database, indexing covers the 1960s to present, with a few titles indexed as far back as 1956. The Charleston Advisor (a library journal) concluded that "EBSCO has thoroughly covered the field."

Full-text is available for more than 1,020 periodicals. And because we have useful publisher and society full-text aggregates like Wiley Online Library, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink , IEEE Digital Library and ACM Digital Library, CASC can link out to thousands and thousands of articles and documents that are not inherently full-text in this particular file.

Searching is easy, as it is with all EBSCOhost databases.  Start with a keyword search and then refine from the left frame.  Or explore subject terms assigned to the best articles.

Subject areas include the many engineering disciplines, computer theory & systems, new technologies, and social & professional contexts of technology. Research is aided by the inclusion of searchable cited references for key journals, too.

We expect this database to be a valuable addition for all manner of Suffolk students and faculty.

 [Find Computers & Applied Sciences Complete on our A-Z database list, or in our Subject Database Lists for Business & Management as well as Sciences.]

New Database: MLA International Bibliography

In an attempt to provide the best possible professional-level resources for literature and related subjects, we made a database switch this summer.  We removed Literary Reference Center Plus from our roster of online files, and substituted the well-known MLA International Bibliography.  Although this database has no full-text content on its own, it is considered a premier index.  And since we are getting the MLA International Bibliography via EBSCOhost, we will be able to link many of the citations researchers will find to the complete articles they'll want.

The Modern Language Association (MLA) claims their product is "the most comprehensive listing of scholarly material in language, literature, culture, and folklore."

It is certainly a detailed bibliography of journal articles, books and dissertations and because it was converted from a paper bibliography going back almost a hundred years, citations date back to the 1920s and total 2.3 million references.  The MLA International Bibliography indexes than 4,400 journals & series, and 1,000 book publishers.


Coverage is international in scope and includes almost 60 selected titles from JSTOR's language and literature (deep backfile) collections, all of which link as full-text.

MLA International Bibliography also contains nearly 11,000 subject names and terms. Subjects consist of literature, language and linguistics, folklore, literary theory & criticism, dramatic arts, as well as the historical aspects of printing and publishing. Listings on rhetoric and composition and the history, theory and practice of teaching language and literature are also included.

In addition to the bibliography, the database includes the MLA Directory of Periodicals; the association's proprietary thesaurus used to assign descriptors to each record in the bibliography; and a proprietary, searchable directory of noted authors' names, with links to brief descriptive notes.

The MLA International Bibliography works perfectly well just doing a simple keyword or field search from the landing page.  Howeve, if you wish to explore the the indexes, just click the "More" link in the top blue border.  If I browse the index of "Literary Technique," for example, for the word iambic, I am offered several options, including "iambic meter," "iambic pentameter," "iambic tetrameter" and "iambic trimeter" with an indication of the records count for each index term.

The other complimentary add-on is The MLA Directory of Periodicals (which is also a link in the top border). Although most researchers won't need it,  it does provide useful facts about journals indexed, including information for potential contributing authors--like submission requirements and details (like time between submission and publication decision).

Remember, MLA International Bibliography is not inherently a full-text database, but you will find lots of full-text provided.

We hope that students and faculty in the English and Humanities & Modern Languages departments--and anyone studying international culture--will find this a vaulable database to consult.

  [Find MLA International Bibliography on our A-Z database list, or in our Subject Database List for Literature, Arts & Humanities.]