Database Analysisby

Denise Brewer

Middle and Junior High Core Collection (H.W. Wilson)

Table of Contents

Part 1: Naïve User Search

Part 2: Narrative

Part 3: Representation Language

Part 4: Search Features

Part 5: Database Evaluation Tests

Part 6: Conclusion

References

Naïve User Search

Reflection

Using search terms (EATING DISORDERS) and (TEENAGERS), I initially chose “SU Subject” in the “Select a Field” option box. Specifying “Subject” delivered “No Results”. Once I removed this, I obtained 12 results. The records for my HITS included an image of the results that were books. Each record contained a line for “Recommendation Level” where one could find bibliographical information for the original item. The book reviews, found in journals, did not include subject headings, while the actual books related to my two facets each had a line that listed applicable descriptors. Along with relevant book titles that matched my query, three of my results were book reviews. The book reviews were available in HTML Full Text and PDF Full Text.

I wanted to search facets that were issues middle and junior high students actually face, so I Googled “Issues teenagers face” to ensure that my search yielded information that was relevant. At first, my search terms were (BODY ISSUES) and (TEENAGERS). When these terms resulted in “No results were found”, I modified my search by only searching one facet at a time until I found different wording that would lead me to where I wanted to go. Unsatisfied with the information provided in the list view of results (because I didn’t feel the descriptors were enough to really tell me what the item was about, I explored records in more depth. I learned that clicking on individual titles provided me with additional detail on each record, including the Library of Congress Classification, Dewey Decimal Classification, Reading Level, Genre, Abstract, ISBN, Price, Accession Number, and a summary of the item’s contents.

Middle and Junior High Core Collection

URL: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/search/advanced?sid=37564e79-5d83-4ba4-aef8-c72b5a7853b5%40sessionmgr114&vid=1&hid=113

The Middle and Junior High Core Collection database, owned by EBSCO, contains over 19,000 items, including nonfiction, fiction, short stories, professional literature for librarians, book reviews, and electronic resources for children and adolescents. This database is advertised as a full text database, but only book reviews are available in full text while other items provide only bibliographic information. The earliest publication date in the database is 1892 (Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – out of print) and is updated daily, providing coverage to the present date. Designed to aid librarians who serve children in grades 5-9 in collection development, reference, curriculum development, and readers’ advisory, Middle and Junior High Core Collection covers a wide variety of works that are of interest to young readers and that are frequently included in school curriculum (Middle and Junior High Core Collection).

The advantages of using this database over a general web search engine are that Core Collection items are limited to a specific age group and were compiled by collection specialists. The database provides searching tips and a variety of searchable fields with an explanation of each. A librarian seeking to develop or maintain his or her collection can find related items (i.e, book, a review of the book, relevant web resources, etc.) by performing a search for one item (EBSCO Help, Middle and Junior High Core Collection (H.W. Wilson).

The Middle and Junior High Core Collection

uses a CONTROLLED language.

The Search:

To analyze the language used in Middle and Junior High Core Collection, I used the search term (vampires) and variations on spelling and synonyms for vampires.

Specificity

Specificity

The Middle and Junior High Core Collection has excellent specificity. When searching for (vampire), the database returns records that exactly match the term in the title or in the subject.

Exhaustivity

This database has exhaustive indexing. When searching (vampire), the database provides a list of related terms that one can use to further his or her search. The terms shown here divide the subject (vampire) into other subjects where the results can be found.

Thesaurus

Using the term (bloodsucker) as a synonym for vampire, yields three records, all of which can also be found in the records found from a search for (vampire).

Using the “Browse an Index” feature provided by EbscoHost, the following list shows where the term (vampire) would be found.

I followed the database’s instructions for using the thesaurus to find this list (EBSCO Help).

ThesaurusTo further study the usefulness of the thesaurus, I searched the following terms:

Fat103 records

War2,909 records

Obese4 records (also found in (fat) search)

Combat67 records

These experiments lead me to believe that more commonly used words used to describe a subject will retrieve more records. Less commonly used language retrieves some of the same records but is less exhaustive.

vs.

vs.

Search Features

Default Index

According to the EBSCOhost Help Sheet, default fields for unqualified searches, depending on the database, may consist of the following (2013):

• Author• Subject• Keyword• Title• Abstract

Search Types Available

Boolean/Phrase: supports Boolean searching or exact phrase searching.

Find ALL of my search terms: Auto and all search terms entered (AND)

Find ANY of my search terms: Auto or all search terms entered (OR)

SmartText Searching: you can copy and paste up to 5000 words to search for results

(EBSCO Help)

Search Protocols

Wildcard (? or #) For example, be?t to search for beat, best, bent, etc. or colo#r to search for color or colour

Truncation (*)For example, inform* to search for inform, information, informer, etc.

***Neither the wildcard nor the truncation symbols can be used at the beginning of a word.***

ProximityNear Operator (N); N5 finds words if they are within five words of each other in any orderWithin Operator (W); W8 finds the words if they are within eight words of each other in the order in which you entered them

Quotation Marksallows you to search for an exact phrase

Parenthesesallow you to control the order in which terms are searched. Without them, the search is conducted from left to right.

PluralsWhen a singular word is searched, plural and possessive forms

of the word are also searched automatically, unless the word is in quotation marks. When a plural is searched, the singular form is also searched, unless it is an irregular form. For example,

child and children – in this case the “apply additional terms to query” expander must be checked.

Search Protocols: Field Search

The following fields can be chosen when searching:

TX All textAU AuthorTI TitleSU Subject TermsSO SourceAB AbstractIS ISSN

The codes can also be entered into the search by typing them with your search terms.

Search Protocols: Modifying Your Search

The database does not prompt you to narrow or widen a search but does allow you to do so in either case by choosing limiters in the right hand section of the screen, as seen here.

The following expanders are also available to widen a search:

•Apply related words•Also search within the full text of the articles

Search Protocols: Multiple Databases

Middle and Junior High Core Collection is held by EBSCOhost, which allows you to search multiple databases at once.

An added feature, SPECIAL LIMITERS, allows the user to choose database-specific limiters.

Search Helps

EBSCOhost provides many opportunities for a user to find help when conducting a search.

This symbol indicates that additional information is available to the user.

Search Help: EBSCOhost Online Guide

• Video tutorials• Searching Tips• Browsing Tips• Viewing Results• Print/E-mail/Save• Folders• Glossary• Stop Words• Citation Styles• Ask-a-Librarian feature• Also links the searcher to database-specific help

The EBSCOhost online guide offers help on many aspects of the database, including:

Search Help: Middle and Junior High Core Collection

While the help associated with this database alone is limited, it reiterates many of the tips found in the EBSCOhost online guide, including the following:

Searching Tips

Searchable Fields (and their definitions)

Output Formats: Viewing Search Results

CitationsFull Text ArticlesDocument

Summaries or Abstracts

Links to Full Text

The user can also change *“Page Options” to STANDARD, BRIEF, TITLE ONLY, and DETAILED views

*Results per page

*Page Layout

Placed in a folder and shared

Saved Saved as an alert

(RSS) Printed E-mailed Put in Export Manager:

save or print citations

Results can be:

Choose custom fields to include in their results

Take notes on articles and save them in a folder

Users can also:

The user can choose which information to include for all output types.

A limit of 50 records can be placed in a folder. From this folder, the user can print, email, save as a file, or export.

Output Formats: Selected Record

From a selected record, many options are available as shown above:•Print•E-mail•Save•Cite•Export•Create Note•Permalink•Bookmark•Find Full Text•Find Similar Results using SmartText Searching

Building Block Search

For this building block search, I want to find information about how being overweight affects teenagers’ social acceptance.

F1: (popular* or soci*)

F2: (overweight or fat or obese or heavy)

F3: (adolesen* or teen*)

I entered the search terms connected by the Boolean operator “AND” and retrieved only one very relevant document. (I only searched within Middle and Junior High Core Collection).

Unsatisfied with the number of results, I decided to remove F1: (popular* or soci*). This modified search produced 55 results –books (24) and book reviews (31) relevant to my request.

Revised Building Block Search Results:

Building Block Search: CONCLUSIONS

Conducting this sample building block search solely within the Middle and Junior High Core Collection reminded me of the limitations of the database. The majority of the records I have retrieved are young adult books and the reviews of these books. While this is a great tool for putting books into the hands of young people (which is how the db is advertised), using it for any other reason, such as researching answers to a specific question, would likely be better suited to a more diverse db.

To test this theory, I repeated my building block search, choosing all available databases to search.Original search with 3 facets: 5,411 results including journals, magazines, and news in addition to books and reviews.Modified search with 2 facets: 23,356 results including journals, magazines, reviews, news, and books.

Performing this search also led me to additional facets or terms I could include by using the thesaurus terms and subject headings provided with the results.

Database Evaluation

Coverage

Currency

Predictability of a Record

Retrievability/Searchability

Precision

Usability

Existing Reviews

CoverageAccording to American Libraries Magazine, the following number of books were published for young adults (Hawkins, 2011):

2009: 5,028

2010: 4,939

Middle and Junior High Core Collection results:

Search of Publication Year 2009 (51% of total books published)

Search of Publication Year 2010 (62% of total books published)

Comprehensive Bibliography Examination

Of the Kirkus 100 Best Books of the Year 2012 for Teens, a little over half were included in the Middle and Junior High Core Collection database. The database includes 2,243 Kirkus Reviews, so one might expect the database to contain more of the top 100 books (Smith, 2012).

Currency

Building Block Search Test: Most current result retrieved is December

2012

CurrencySearching by Publication Year 2013 resulted in 45 results from April, with

the most current being April 15, 2013.

Predictability of a Record

Record parts included in retrieved items for a typical search:TitleSource TypeAuthorPublication DateKey Words/SubjectsGenreImage

Changing the page options from “brief” to “detailed”, reveals more information about the item, including Recommendation Level and Abstract.

Depending on the page options the user selects to view hits, predictability for this database ranges from somewhat predictable to very predictable. The default “brief” view lists keywords that can help the user determine whether the item is what he or she is searching for, but when the user utilizes the “detailed” view, predictability increases by providing a summary of what is included in the record.

Retrievability/Searchability

The language aspect of the search is user friendly, in that users typically do not have to consult the thesaurus with their natural language search terms. However, the database does not retrieve results for variations of word forms, as in the following examples:

• Apostrophes must be included• “ESP” does not retrieve as many hits as

“extrasensory perception”• “obese” does not retrieve as many hits as

“obes*”• “teenage” retrieves fewer hits than

“teenager”• Phrases can be searched• “Did you mean?” feature for misspelled

words (did not work for “Allie Condy” – suggested allie cody, allie cony instead of Ally Condie)

Author search must be conducted in a particular way as well.

Search terms “ally condie” retrieved the following book reviews:

Rearranging the terms into last name first retrieved a book that the author actually wrote, which was not retrieved in the previous search.

Finally, searching ONLY the author’s last name produced more results than the other two searches and was the most comprehensive. I did not find any mention of specific search strategies for author name in the tutorial section.

Precision: 95%Building Block Search:

Retrieved:

2 of which did not seem relevant.

This was a successful search!

Usability• Digital Images to distinguish between item types• Results can be sorted, viewed, limited or expanded,

and managed in several different ways• One click on an item provides the user with source,

abstract, subjects, ISSN, Accession Number, author, and document type

• Find Full-Text button• Ability to add 12 search rows• Drop down box to choose limiters• Basic, Advanced, and Visual Search• Access to multiple databases• Database tutorials in text and video• Users should be familiar with search protocols in

this database

These features make Middle and Junior High Core Collection very easy to use. Most options and the tutorials are accessible from the main screen, and they are all very easy to understand, even for the naïve user. The only aspect of this database that might present searching difficulties that I have found is the required accuracy of how search terms are applied (word forms, apostrophes, etc.).

Reviews

Rowan Universityhttp://www.lib.rowan.edu/find/eresources/info/middle-and-junior-high-core-collection.html

(Rowan University)

School Library JournalFor full review, click here:http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6566225.html

(Brisco, 2008)

Conclusion

Brisco, Shonda. “Wilson’s Core Collections are More Valuable Than Ever,” School Library Journal, June 1, 2008, http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6566225.html , accessed April 13, 2013.

“EBSCO Help, Middle and Junior High Core Collection (H.W. Wilson),” http://support.ebsco.com/help/?int=ehost&lang=en&feature_id=Databases&TOC_ID=Always&SI=0&BU=0&GU=1&PS=0&ver=live&dbs=,mjx#A, accessed February 9, 2013.

“EBSCOhost,” http://www.ebscohost.com/academic/middle-and-junior-high-core-collection, accessed February 10, 2013.

“EBSCOhost Help Sheet,” 2013. http://support.epnet.com/knowledge_base/detail.php?topic=996&id=3884&page=1, accessed February 1, 2013.

Hawkins, Valerie. “American Libraries Magazine,” August 17, 2011. http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/ask-ala-librarian/number-young-adult-books-published, accessed April 13, 2013.

“Middle and Junior High Core Collection (H.W. Wilson)” database, ,http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/search/advanced?sid=61edfcfb-fbc3-4ab6-be3a-1b537991ba91%40sessionmgr110&vid=1&hid=113, accessed February 1, 2013.

“Rowan University,” http://www.lib.rowan.edu/find/eresources/info/middle-and-junior-high-core-collection.html, accessed April 13, 2013

Smith, Vicky. “Kirkus Reviews,” 2012. http://www.kirkusreviews.com/issue/2012-best-of/section/teen/, accessed April 13, 2013.

“Stark Library,” last modified February 26, 2013. http://www.starklibrary.org/databases, accessed February 10, 2013.