Kenneth R. Kutschera
INF 200
Database Searching – Activity 1 and 2
Activity #1: Imagine that you are doing a project on “technology in the classroom.” You
are specifically interested in researching the impact that this technology has on the student
learning experience. Locate the link to the databases on your library’s home page; then
answer the following two questions.
1) Looking at a list of your library’s research databases, identify a subject area that
might be appropriate for this research task. Then identify a database listed under
that subject area that you would use to research this topic.
Since the Ualbany doesn’t have a browse by subject article for “Technology” you can
search the databases if you browse by name next to the browse by subject tab and type in
the keyword ‘Technology.’ The picture shows a list of different databases that are best
suited for searching topics in regards to technology.
2) Now imagine that you want to find a newspaper article in order to get a sense of the
most recent news on this topic (perhaps a local story or interview). Searching your
library’s databases by format, name a database that would be helpful for this
research task.
Just click on the ‘other formats’ tab right below the database subject and then click the
‘newspapers’ button this will show you all the best databases for searching newspaper articles.
Activity #2: Pick a research database from your library and explore a topic that you are
researching or working on in class. What publications does this database search? What
types of materials are available (newspapers, academic journals, etc)? List the name of the
database you chose, the titles of two publications that are included in this database,
and two source types that it provides access to.
http://eds.a.ebscohost.com is a great resource for searching documents and other important
academic publications. This database allows the user to search from various publication formats
such as articles, bibliographies, biographies, case studies, etc. The title of the two publications
that are relevant to my research subject is “A study of the impact of social media on
consumers” and “Social Media and Brand Purchase: Quantifying the Effects of Exposures
to Earned and Owned Social Media Activities in a Two-Stage Decision Making Model.”