Description
For this assignment students will be writing a report evaluating a subscription database of your choice – NOT a WEBSITE – the library must pay for access. This must be one available from the UNT Libraries website. Do not choose a database platform environment, EBSCOhost or ProQuest for instance; though you may choose any of the individual databases provided by these and other platforms. Try to find a database with advanced search option. If you are a graduate student (i.e. enrolled in INFO 5615) you are strongly advised to select a database that you can also use for your final Information Literacy Instruction Project. Before starting the assignment, please access and read carefully the database evaluation guidePreview the document. Use it as a template to complete your evaluation (fill in your information into the template sections) – save it as an MS Word document with the template/guide and fill it out. Note that the template sections are to serve you as a guideline. The main goal of this assignment is to demonstrate that you have understood all the factors that must be taken into account when you evaluate a new database to be included into the databases offered by your information organization. Prepare the evaluation as if someone in charge of database selection is going to base their purchase decision basically on your professional opinion as presented in the document. Make sure that your submission includes bibliographic citations of all the resources that you use to gather the information for your report. You should include articles that review the database, manuals and web resources from the vendor and/or producer.
First and Last Name
Course and Section Number
Semester
Database Evaluation Assignment (Mid-term)
Database Evaluation
| Database: | LIST NAMES OF DATABASE(S) and its URL at UNT Libraries |
| Areas of Coverage: | LIST SUBJECT AREA(S) |
| Fulltext: | FULLTEXT AVAILABILITY |
| Abstracts: | ABSTRACT AVAILABILITY |
Searching
| Basic search | Screen capture of search screen that appears when connecting to the database. Characteristics of the default search. Choices for basic search |
| Advanced search | Screen capture of advanced search screen |
| Browsing | Browsing topic area |
| Boolean operators | Default and how entered, e.g. all caps (AND, OR, NOT) |
| Truncation | The truncation symbol is * It is used to find all forms of a word ie. to find different word endings: operat* will find operations, operational, operator etc. |
| Search specific fields | List of searchable fields and controlled vocabularies. |
| Limit | Searches can be limited by many factors, e.g. Database, Date, Full Text Articles, Type of Publication like Scholarly Journals. How to limit e.g. command lines, interface dropdown menu, etc. |
| Displaying & marking records | How do you display and mark individual records? Example: To mark records click CHECK BOX to the left of the citation, so a tick appears. You can also mark records within each individual record. To display marked records, click on “VIEW MARKED RECORDS” in right hand corner of display screen |
| Printing records | How do you print records? Note if you cannot print the fulltext of articles from the marked list. |
| Saving records | How do you save records? |
| Emailing records | How do you email records? |
Other Features (choose whatever is related to the evaluated database or add more features) (list in bullets):
Subject Coverage – Size, comprehensiveness; Years Searchable; Thesaurus vs. Uncontrolled Vocabulary and Vocabulary Online; Type and Format of Information; Cost; Search Parameters – Indexed fields, specificity of search and fields not searchable just displayable; Currency – Update schedule and lag time; Size of Retrieval; Online Vocabulary/Dictionary; Simultaneously search group of databases (then for more in depth search select file with highest postings); Tutorials / vendor documentation / “cheat sheets”; Special Features: Search alert notification, ranked results, cited references, search and data manipulation, Explosions; Multi-file searching; GUI interface, Endnote or ProQuest filters availability; etc.
Practice in the use of database: experiment with navigation, search (basic and advanced), use of limiters, help tools, other features before completing the following two sections of the assignment.
Overall Evaluation of Database (in previous section, you listed the database features and briefly described them. In this section, provide a general evaluation of the database on listed below and other parameters):
- usefulness for information services
- accuracy/quality
- objectivity
- coverage
- currency
- ease of use
- search process (effectiveness, speed, results)
- other characteristics of the evaluated database.
Comments and Experience (use the number list format):
- What is your experience in working with the database? (indicate the activities that were involved in you use of the database, e.g. search, use of help and tutorials, etc.).
- Briefly describe your opinion about the database and its features: any pros and cons that you want to notify.
- Suggestions you could make about the database in general or any of its features.
- Briefly justify the above: refer to the textbook and course materials to support your point of view.
Resources: (list of resources that you used to gather the information)