What is FirstSearch?
FirstSearch is a group of databases provided by
OCLC, the Online
Computer Library Center, Inc.
OCLC is a nonprofit, membership,
library computer service and research organization.
Use FirstSearch databases to find books, articles, films, computer
software, and other types of material on the subject you need. At UMKC,
OCLC FirstSearch databases are accessible via
the the World Wide Web.
For a list of FirstSearch databases available via the World Wide Web,
see the List
All Databases page on the FirstSearch Website.For a complete list
of databases available through the UMKC University
Libraries, see the database menu.
- In the "Word, Phrase" box, enter your search terms.
- Use the "Keyword Index" box, to choose the index
to search. The box lists the indexes available for the database
you are using (e.g., keyword, author, title).
- Click on Start Search.
- From the "Database Title" screen, click on Advanced
Search.
- In the "Word, Phrase" box, enter all or part of
your search.
- In the "Index" box, choose the field where you
want your search to appear.
- In the "AND, OR, NOT" box, choose how you want to combine the previous
and next parts of your search.
- In the "Limits On Search" boxes, select or type the limits (if any) that you
want to apply to the search, These boxes vary by database. Limits can also be applies
after the search is done on the "Search Results" screen.
- Click on Start Search.
Truncation is not available in FirstSearch. You may search for the simple plural form
of a term (i.e, "-s" or "-es") by adding a "+" at the
end of a word.
Use
History to view or combine your previous searches. You must conduct two
or more searches before you can use
History. To combine two or more of your
searches:
- In the "Command" box, combine searches by connecting search numbers using
one of the following terms: "and, or, not" [e.g., type "(#l or #2)
and #3"].
Or, you can use the "connector" buttons, and "select" boxes
to combine previous searches.
Click on the appropriate "connector" button
that describes how you want to combine the previous searches.
Click on the box in the "select" column for
each search that you want to combine.
- Click on Search/Combine.
- Search results screen displays ten records at a time.
- Results appear chronologically, in the order they were added to the database.
- To see more of the list, click on NextPage, or go back by clicking
on PrevPage.
- To move to a particular record, type a record number in the "Go to
Record" box.
- To see a full display of the record, click on the title in the list.
You may tag up to twenty records at a time in the search results, and then view the records
all at once.
- On the "Search Results" page, click on the Tag Record
check box of each entry whose record you want to view.
- Before you go to another page or view the records, click on Save.
The "tagged record information" at the top of the search results contains
the numbers of the entries that you have tagged and saved.
- If you want to tag records on other pages of the search results, click on
NextPage or PrevPage to go to a page that
has entries you want to tag. Then repeat steps 1 and 2.
- To view the tagged records, click on Show.
- To clear all tags, click on Clear.
To print an individual item or tagged records:
- Display the record(s) on the screen.
- Use the Web browser's print command. (Print button)
To save an individual item or tagged records:
- Display the record(s) on the screen.
- Use the Web browser's save command:
- Insert disk in Drive A
- Click on File
- Select "Save As..."
- Type File name: "a:\name.txt"
- Select "Save as Type: Plain Text"
- Click on save
To email an individual item or tagged records:
- Display the record(s) on the screen
- Click on Email Records
- Enter your entire email address in the box
- Click on E-mail Records
Databases
By Subject