Getting Connected
Click on “Connection Off-Campus” on the Library’s home
page
Click here to
access databases
from home
Finding Primary Sources
•At Queen’s, primary texts, such as novels, normally don’t
have subject headings.
•This is the case for many library catalogues.
•You can look in library catalogues, but it may take some time
finding the primary text.
Example: Persepolis
Please note
that the subject
heading for this
title is to
indicate it is a
graphic novel
only.
Resources at Queen’s
WorldCat
Below is an example of a search for Iran and Fiction as subjects. Here
are the subject headings for Persepolis:
In WorldCat, it is also possible to find visual material, such as
film.
BDSL Online: Bibliographie der deutschen Sprach- und
Literaturwissenschaft
This database gives keywords to books and articles. You can search for
“Iran” and find primary texts.
Deutsche Nationalbibliographie
You can try
searching the
National
bibliography and
catalogue by title
or keyword.
This process may
take some time.
Book Review Digest Plus
In this database, you can search for a topic/keyword and find a book
review about a primary text.
Free online resources:
There are also many free online resources (vendors, catalogues,
bookstores, publishers) that list book titles.
Here are some examples:
Perlentaucher.de (http://www.perlentaucher.de) ist ein
Kulturmagazin im Internet.
Free online resources - continued
Buchhandel.de (http://buchjournal.buchhandel.de/) ist das
unabhängige Buch-Portal für Leser und Buchkäufer: Es bietet die
Recherche im VLB (Verzeichnis Lieferbarer Bücher) mit über
1.200.000 Büchern, Videos, Hörbüchern, Kalendern und Software.
Zweitausendeins. (http://www.zweitausendeins.de//)
Finding Secondary Sources - QCAT
QCAT:
Steps for finding books:
•construct keyword searches,
•open record,
•record call number,
•check subject headings by clicking on Full Record.
•Search again with other words.
You may want to click on “Search History” in QCAT, so that you don’t
repeat the same searches over and over again:
Points to remember when searching by Keyword:
•Use and to combine search terms.
For example: gender and literature
•Use or to group alternate terms to expand your search
For example: (erzahlung or erzaehlung) and (romantic or romantik)
•Use not to exclude word from your search
For example: (german not austrian)
•Search phrases by using quotations around words.
For example: “German literature”
•Use ? for plural forms and variant word endings
For example: identit?
The question mark represents: identity, identities, identität, identité, identités, etc.
•Group search terms by using parentheses
For example: (gender or sexuality) and “German literature”
Please note: When searching with German words with an Umlaut, search with
an “e” and without and “e” in order to get more records. It is not necessary to
include the Umlaut when searching.
D. Finding Secondary Sources – Journal articles
Search for articles and article citations in journal indexes and
databases.
How to Select a Database
Each index deals with a specific subject area. If you need to find an
article, first check which one to use.
From the library homepage
• Click Articles
• Select By Subject
• Select German Language and Literature
This is the main
literature database for
modern languages
Points to remember about Journal Articles:
•Look for the year you want and record its location and call
number. Journals can be on microfilm, paper, or online in
fulltext.
• Current and Bound journals (periodicals) are on the 2nd
floor of Stauffer Library.
•Do not search QCAT by journal author or article title.
Only the journal title is listed in QCAT
•To improve a search, check the descriptors/keywords or
subject headings in the record
Principles for searching databases:
•Identify keywords (Heimat, homeland, cinema, film, Kino).
•Find out if a phrase needs quotations (depends on the database) (if in doubt,
click on the HELP button to find out how to effectively search a database).
•Find out how to get different word endings. For example, is * (an asterix) used
for different word endings or is it ? (a question mark)
•Do words need to be connected with and, or, not ?
•When available, choose Advanced search option
•Look for subject headings or descriptors in a useful record for more keyword
ideas.
•Selecting the Get it @Queen’s button does NOT imply that the article will be
online/fulltext
FIAF – International Index to Film Periodicals:
bibliographical index offering in-depth coverage of the world's
foremost academic and popular film journals from 1972 to the
present day.
Search for Iran and
german*
Click on this icon to find
and read the article
RefWorks
If you haven’t already done so, create your individual account in
RefWorks.
Save citations in your
personal Reference
Citation Database
(RefWorks)
RACER
If Queen’s does not have the book you need, you can order it through
Interlibrary Loan