St. Olaf Libraries - CSA Search Strategies

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Search Strategies for Cambridge Scientific Abstracts

Topics include:

Creating a Search Strategy

OR to allow the search to retrieve any one, but not necessarily all, of your terms

Searching on Cambridge Scientific Abstracts:

Go to Cambridge Scientific Abstracts
Select a subject area from the subject list
Go to "Advanced Search"
Click on databases relevant to your topic
Click on "Continue to Advanced Search"
Begin to enter your terms in the boxes
Note: click on the gray arrow in the search box to change the fields. For example:

Keywords (KW=) search title, abstract, & descriptor (i.e. subject) fields.
Descriptors (DE=) search descriptor (i.e. subject) field only. The "official" subject headings (descriptors) used in a given discipline are listed in the Thesauri (to search online Thesaurus in CSA, select "Thesaurus Search" on the advanced search screen).
Language (LA=) allows you to limit a search for material written only in English, if you wish.
Publication Type (PT=) allows you to limit a search to a specific type of publication e.g. journal article.

Click on "Search"

If you find too few items, broaden your search using either/or:

The truncation symbol * following three or more characters. Example: adolescen* retrieves "adolescent," "adolescents," or "adolescence."
Boolean logic operator "OR" between related words or words of similar meaning. Example: anorexia OR bulemia OR eating disorders retrieves records containing any of these terms.

If you find too many items, narrow your search by:

Example: childhood play behavior AND pretend AND journal retrieves records containing all of these words.

Using subject headings (descriptors) you've found in the Thesaurus. They will make your search more specific. (It is a good idea to pursue the descriptors you've found in a particularly relevant document).
Limiting by publication date
Limiting by language
Limiting by publication type (e.g. journal article, conference paper, review, etc.) To view the list of publication types, select "Browse Indexes" button on the lef-hand side of the search screen and scroll to "Publication Type").

"View Full Record"

A full record will provide you with all fields, including the abstract (AB) and specific subject headings (indicated by DE for descriptor)
Other fields to remember:

SO=Source (where your article, book chapter, conference paper, etc. comes from)
LA=Language (peek there before placing an ILL request to make sure you can read the language of your document)
RE=References (they lead you to other related sources, so don't ignore them!)

"Locate Document"

Click on "Check Your Library" link to find out if the source is owned by either St. Olaf or Carleton.

"InterLibrary Loan Request"
To request journals which are NOT at St. Olaf or Carleton, you may submit an ILL form on-line:

Click on "ILL" link
Fill out all blank sections on the top of the form. (Citation information is automatically provided)
Scroll down and click on "Send the Request"

To shorten delivery time for articles, use MEDD (Minitex Electronic Delivery). Follow instructions on the ILL request form.

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"Save, Print, Email records"

On the Search Results page, place a check beside the record(s) you wish to save
Click on "Save, Print, Email records"
Choose "Citations and Abstract" format
To e-mail records to your self, put in your full email address in the bar after "To."
Put your name or the subject of your search in the bar after "From."
Click on the e-mail bar