Guide to EBSCOhost Databases
(Graphic Interface)

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What is EBSCOhost?

EBSCOhost is a collection of electronic databases providing citations and abstracts for journal articles, some of which are full-text. Encyclopedia articles are full-text. For a complete list of EBSCOhost databases available through the UMKC University Libraries, see the EBSCOhost Choose Databases page on the EBSCOhost Website.

Basic Search

Type a word or phrase in the space provided and click "Search," or hit "enter."

Browsing Terms

To browse a list of subjects or periodical titles, select "Subject Search" or "Publication Search" at the top of the screen. On the next screen, type your search term and click "Browse" or, click on the blue link next to the name of the subject or periodical.

Advanced Search

Choose "Advanced" from the tool bar at the top of the screen. On the next screen, fill in the search boxes with your search terms and select the index to search (default is "All Fields").

Boolean Operators

AND - narrows search results because it retrieves items containing all search terms (e.g., "children and adults" retrieves items containing both "children" and "adults")

OR - broadens search results because it retrieves items that contain either term (e.g., "children or adults" retrieves items containing either "children" or "adults")

NOT - limits search by excluding terms. Retrieved items that contain only the term you specify (e.g., "children not adults" will not retrieve items on "children" which also contain the word "adults")

Limiters And Other Options

Note: Limit options listed below are for MasterFILE. Note that limit options vary with each EBSCOhost database.

Full Text

Select this option to limit the results to items including the complete article.

Cover Story

Select this option to limit the results to articles that were a cover story.

Articles with Images

Select this option to limit the results to items that have illustrations. Note that the actual journal must be obtained to view images such as charts and graphs.

Magazine

Select this option to limit the results to a particular journal.

Date Published

Use the drop down boxes to select a month and enter only the last two digits of the year to specify that the results were printed during a specified period.

Number of Pages

Enter a number that will limit the results to articles that are of a certain length.

Peer Reviewed

This option allows the searching of peer reviewed or refereed texts, only.

Publication Type

This option allows the search to be limited to a specific format. i.e. journal, newspaper, or periodical.

Related Words

This Search will also find words related to the search term.

Truncation

Use the symbol "?" in place of one unknown or variable letter. (e.g., "wom?n" retrieves items containing "women" and "woman").

Use the symbol "*" in place of any number of unknown or variable letters at the end of a word (e.g., "walk*" retrieves items containing "walk," "walked," "walking," etc.).

Proximity

Use "N" to find search terms, in any order, with a specified maximum number of words between them (e.g., "tax N4 reform" retrieves items containing "tax reform," "reform of income tax," "welfare reform tax cuts," etc.).

Use "W" to find search terms, in the order you type them, with a specified maximum number of words between them (e.g., "tax W4 reform" retrieves items containing "tax reform," but not "reform of income tax," and not "welfare reform tax cuts" etc.).

Additional Search Tips

Search terms entered as phrases are searched for as phrases. You may retrieve more items by using the "AND" Boolean operator (e.g., "gender and discrimination" retrieves more items than "gender discrimination").

Use apostrophes when needed. Hyphens are considered spaces [e.g., "heavens gate" is different from "heaven’s gate"; and "on-line" is the same as "on line," but not the same as "online" (with no space or hyphen)].

Viewing Results

A list of items containing your search term(s) will be displayed. Select the title of an article to view the summary. Click the "open book" full text icon to go directly to the complete article.

While viewing the list of results you will have the option to refine your current search. When viewing an individual record, the "Find More" link retrieves articles similar to the one found. You can also follow the links to the "Previous Record" (left arrow), the "Next Record" (right arrow), or the "Result List" (list of items found in your search).

Printing Selected Items

Individual Item: View an individual item. Select "Print." Choose: "Citation Record, Full Text" (if applicable), "Print." Use Web browser print command ("Print" button, "Print" from the "File" menu, or "CTRL+P"). Click on "OK."

Marked Item(s): Mark items by putting a check mark in the box next to selected items in the Results List, Select "Print." Use Web browser print command ("Print" button, "Print" from the "File" menu, OR "CTRL+P"). Click on "OK." This method will not allow printing full-text articles.

Saving Selected Items

Individual Item: View an individual item. Select "Save". Choose: "Current Record, Full Text" (if applicable), "Save to Disk." Click on "Submit." Use Web browser save command. Insert disk in Drive A. Click on "File" menu. Select "Save As...." Type File name: a:\name.txt. Select "Save as Type: Plain Text." Click on "Save."

Marked Item(s): Mark items by putting a check mark in the box next to selected items in the Results List. Select "Save." Choose: "Marked Records, Detailed, Save to Disk." Click on "Submit." Use Web browser save command. Insert disk in Drive A. Click on "File" menu. Select "Save As...." Type File name: a:\name.txt. Select "Save as Type: Plain Text." Click on "Save." This method will not allow saving full-text articles.

Emailing Selected Items

Individual Item: View an individual item. Select "Email." Choose: "Current Record, Full Text" (if applicable), "Email Address." Type in a valid email address and name the file if desired. Click on "Submit."

Marked Item(s): Mark items by putting a check mark in the box next to selected items in the Results List. Select "Email." Choose: "Marked Records, Detailed, Email Address." Type in a valid email address and name the file if desired. Click on "Submit." This method will not allow saving full-text articles.

Help

Click "Online Help" at the top of the Web page or get assistance from the Miller Nichols Library Reference Desk at (816) 235-1534.

To Exit

To exit the database, click "Exit Program" at the top of the Web page.