Need help?
This is an introductory guide to searching SourceOECD. SourceOECD is the online library of statistical databases, books and periodicals for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The OECD is one of the world's largest and most reliable sources of comparable statistics from member countries (Australia being one) of economic and social data. As well as collecting data, the OECD monitors trends, analyses and forecasts economic developments and researches social changes or evolving patterns in trade, environment, agriculture, technology, taxation and health. Its single e-library offers online access to all OECD books, reports, annuals, working papers, loose-leaf binders, periodicals and databases – all in full-text. Coverage includes development, education, science and technology and economics. The OECD database contains electronic publications from January 1998.
You may prefer to print this tutorial so you can refer to a printed copy while you are working online, or you can open another session or page online.
This guide is divided into the following steps:
Step 1 - Getting Started
Step 2 - Searching the database
Step 3 - Marking and Viewing Results
Step 4 - Print and Saving
A simple way to access SourceOECD is to go to the A-Z database listing on Curtin Library's home page. You will need to enter your Curtin ID and Password.
You can also access SourceOECD via Gecko: Gateway to Library Databases.
You are taken to the welcome screen of SourceOECD which gives an overview of SourceOECD news, publications features, new statistics, new periodical issues, new documents as well as forthcoming publications.
For detailed help on effective ways to find useful information in databases, using AND/OR alternatives and truncation or wildcards, go to:
Help with Search Strategies at the end of this guide
There are three ways a search may be conducted from the SourceOECD home page:
1. Select from the drop down list next to the 'go to' button under the orange navigation bar.
2. Enter a search term into the 'Search for' box and click GO!.
3. Access to subject-related material may be gained through the tabs located across the top of the home page.
4. Alternatively, an advanced search option is available for more detailed searches.
See specific instructions for:
Business
Health
Humanities
Science
Books, Periodicals, Statistics Tabs
A search screen will appear enabling you to type in your search terms. Once GO! has been clicked a results page will appear. At this stage it is possible to:
Modify Search/New Search
Save the search as Email Alert
Search further in these results
Do new search
View Marked List
Any documents which are relevant to you can be marked by clicking on the add to marked list link below the document details. Alternatively, clicking directly on the title will provide access to the PDF document. To retrieve your list of marked documents click on View Marked List. On this page options to display for printing (HTML), download (ASCII) and email the list are available.
At a Glance Tab
A screen will appear with two headings:
At a Glance Publications
If you click on any of the first five publications, a new screen will open allowing you to select from further headings. The next listed publications will open a screen with an abstract of the document and a PDF link.
Other Web Books
Clicking on any of the titles will open a window with clickable links to various documents.
Marking and Viewing from Working Papers and Reference Tabs
A list of document titles will appear. When clicked a further list of documents can be selected.
NB don’t forget that on the left-hand side of each tabbed screen, further options can be chosen to refine your search.
At the head of all PDF documents are icons for saving and printing the document. On the left-hand side of the document there are more useful icons namely, a document icon which enables you to go to specific pages using thumbnail images, a binocular icon which allows you to search within the document (and an option to save the document) and a question mark icon which takes you to step-by-step instructions for common features.
Deciding on search terms
To decide how to search you must decide what are the important keywords for your topic. You will develop your search terms from these words. For example, in this assignment:
Discuss the effects of violence in the media on children
useful journal articles, conference papers etc will almost certainly contain the terms
violence media children
Combining search terms
Databases use Boolean logic which means you should use the word AND to search for references that contain all the search terms.
For example: violence AND media AND children.
You also need to consider alternatives that might be used for your search terms. For example there might be good information about your topic in articles that use TV or television instead of media. You can use OR in your search to pick up these articles.
For example: violence AND media OR TV OR television AND children
Truncation and wildcards
Truncation is used to pick up different word endings in references. This is useful because there might be good information about your topic in articles which contain the word child or child's. If you truncate the word child with an asterisk '*', it will pick up child, child's and children.
Wildcards are used to pick up different spellings of words. If you insert a '*' in a word your search can pick up variable spellings. For example, organi*ation will pick up both organization and organisation; wom*n will pick up woman and women.
So your search terms for this topic will be:
violence AND media OR TV OR television AND child*
For more on search strategies go to Infotrekk.
We hope you now feel confident about searching the Informit databases on your own topics. If you need more help with information searching on Informit or other databases please contact the Library Enquiries Desk.
