LSCI 105 Assignment #6

Assignment #6

FULL-TEXT NEWSPAPER DATABASES:
USING PROQUEST NEWSPAPER DATABASE

Due: March 7

Reading:

Full-Text Newspaper Databases:

1. Each team, as a group, should communicate by e-mail to:

rewrite or change (if necessary) the research question that you used for Assignment 5, and
complete a search worksheet for the question (reuse or change your previous worksheet, as needed). Use the "Subject List" on the Proquest database (link from the "Basic Search" page) to find relevant search terms for your concepts for this database.

2. Each individual student should follow the Using Proquest Newspaper Databases directions to complete a search on your research question using Proquest Newspaper Databases "Advanced" search mode:

a) Link to the Proquest website (from off-campus: http://www.umi.com/proquest; from on-campus: http://www.umi.com/pqdauto)
b) login (if off-campus);
c) click on "New Search" or "Continue" to select all databases;
d) click on "Subject List" to find relevant search terms to revise your search worksheet for this database;
e) click on "New Search" to return to the search page;
f) click on the "Advanced " search tab;
g) enter your search terms in the appropriate search boxes (use different boxes for each concept, including OR between each search term).
Remember to use "truncation" -- ? for unlimited truncation or * for single characters (this is the opposite of InfoTrac & WilsonWeb) -- and try various search fields, if appropriate.

3. Click the Search button to carry out your search. When the "Results List" page is displayed, click anywhere in the text of the citations (to select the content "frame"), then save this frame as an html file with the file name: 6-3.html This page also shows your complete search terms at the bottom of the page. (Notes: If the list continues for more than one page, just save the first page. If a search results in more than 50 articles, Proquest does not indicate the total number of articles found.)

4. Mark the two best articles from the list by clicking on the box to the left of each citation; then click the "Marked List" button at the top of the page to display just the marked citations. Click anywhere in the text of the citations (to select the content "frame"), then save this frame as an html file named 6-4.html
*Email this file to each of the other members of your team and to me.

5. Optional/Extra Credit: Try the same search on the SFGate (S.F. Chronicle/Examiner) archives database (http://www.sfgate.com/wais/search/arch-pro.shtml). Save your results screen (which automatically also includes your search terms) as an html file named 6-5.html

6. Briefly explain how using the Proquest database(s) compared to using the WilsonWeb & InfoTrac Academic ASAP databases?

7. Members of each team should use e-mail to discuss:

What were the titles of the 2 best articles each member found on your topic?
What were the titles of the 2 best articles from those that all the members found?

Use the discussion board to post the headline, author, newspaper title and date for the articles your team agreed were the two best on your research question. Briefly explain your choices and make any general comments on how you feel your research process is progressing for your research question.

SUBMIT ASSIGNMENT

E-mail: your answers to: brenner@smcccd.cc.ca.us
Be sure to attach the files for questions #3 & 4 (required) & 5 (optional). Be sure you saved 6-3.html & 6-4.html as html files and for #5 (optional) 6-5.html as an html file.

last revised: 2-29-00 by Eric Brenner, Skyline College, San Bruno, CA

These materials are copyrighted, but may be used for educational purposes if you inform and credit the author and cite the source as: LSCI 105 Computerized Research. All commercial rights are reserved. Send comments or suggestions to: Eric Brenner at brenner@smcccd.cc.ca.us