SIRS Discoverer
Opens a world of information to students
Tutorial
discoverer.sirs.com | proquestk12.com
Welcome to SIRS Discoverer
SIRS Discoverer
®
• An award-winning
database designed with
the young researcher in
grades 1-9.
• Strengthens research,
reading, writing, and
computer skills.
• Articles and graphics
from more than 1,900
U.S. and international
magazines, newspapers,
and U.S. government
documents.
Welcome to SIRS Discoverer
SIRS Discoverer
®
• Materials are carefully
selected for their
educational content,
interest, and level of
readability.
• Because it includes
middle and elementary
curriculum topics,
Discoverer can be easily
integrated into classroom
activities.
SIRS Discoverer WebFind
SIRS Discoverer
®
• Now includes Discoverer
WebFind as a content
set.
• Dynamically updated
collection of websites.
• Websites are evaluated
for research value, high
interest, credibility, and
age appropriateness.
• Sites are monitored for
content changes by
SIRS' sophisticated
software.
SIRS Solutions Make The Grade
How Can I Utilize SIRS in My
Library or Classroom?
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Research Papers
Persuasive Speeches
Debate Team Research
Current Events
Discussions
• Consult Primary Source
Materials
• Analyze Statistical Data
• Find Materials Linked to
State, National, Canadian
Standards
• Supplement Outdated
Textbooks
• Create Reading Lists
• Provide Pathfinders
• Curriculum Integration
• Homework Help
• Download Photographs,
Graphics, Maps, Charts
Database Features
What’s Inside
• Science Fair Explorer
New!
• Skills Discoverer New!
• Activities
• Biographies
• Fiction
• Country Facts
• Photo Essays
• Pictures
• Maps of the World
• Educators’ Resources
• Dictionary / Thesaurus
Database Features– Top Pick
Top Pick
• Articles, images, and
websites are regularly
selected by our SIRS
research team comprised
of 40+ professionals with
diverse educational
backgrounds.
• Highlights interesting
articles and images that
are tied to timely themes.
Science Fair Explorer New!
Science Fair Explorer
• Science experiment
ideas for various topics.
Includes:
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Chemistry
Physics
Challenge Quest
Ecology &
Environment
Gross Science
The Senses
Water Science
Life & Earth Sciences
Skills Discoverer New!
Skills Discoverer
• A collections of
recommended interactive
websites and resources
based on subjects below:
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Art
Health
Language Arts
Math
Science
Social Studies
Database Features-- Activities
Activities
• Provides a shortcut to
full-text articles that offer
activities:
— Science experiments
— Craft projects
— Writing activities
Activities Cont.
Activities are marked with a
label in the article results list
(an a) to make them easy to
identify within results.
Database Features-- Biographies
Biographies
• 1,500+ full-text
biographies of famous
and notable people are
available, including U.S.
Presidents.
• Available in multiple
reading levels.
• Bibliographies can be
searched by last name or
browsed alphabetically
Database Features-- Fiction
Fiction
From Historical Fiction to
Myths and Fairytales, SIRS
Discoverer provides hundreds
of articles, and websites,
and categorizes them with
topics.
Database Features
Country Facts
• Articles with information
on nearly 200 countries.
• Printable maps, flags,
population statistics,
government information,
languages spoken,
economic data, history.
• Many countries also have
links to Culture Facts.
• In addition, profiles and
graphics are included for
every U.S. State and
Canadian Province.
Database Features– Photo Essays
Photo Essays
Click the banner to
enter Interactive
Photo Essays
• Photo Essays portray
social issues and global
concepts.
• Each topic consists of
several essays
containing photographs,
maps, or other graphic
elements, along with
brief, informative text.
• New Release–
Interactive Photo Essays
Interactive Photo Essays New!
A brief introduction
is provided for each
photo.
Database Features-- Pictures
Pictures
• Keyword search or
browse for pictures using
an alphabetical index.
• 33,000+ high-quality
pictures accompany
full-text articles.
• Pictures include
photographs, illustrations,
maps, charts, and more.
• Send pictures as email
attachments, or save to
HD/CD/USB flash drives
for use in presentations.
Database Features—Maps of the World
Maps of the World
• More than 3,000 detailed,
printable maps are
available as an online
reference almanac.
• Maps include all 50
United States, the
provinces and territories
of Canada, as well as
nations and regions of
the world.
• Includes U.S. Historical,
World Historical, and
Outline Maps.
Database Features
Educators’ Resources
• Includes a collection of
materials designed to
help librarians and
library patrons.
• Access anywhere in
Discoverer from a link
provided in the footer
of every page, and on
the home page.
Additional resources
and usage boosters
available @
proquestk12.com
Database Features
Educators’ Resources
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Podcasts
What's New
Email Newsletters
Reference Toolbox
Discoverer Workbooks
Source Lists
Directory of Publications
Library Promotional
Materials
System Administrator
Options
Frequently Asked Questions
Free online training
More
Database Features
Reference Works
• Current Events
• Spotlight of the Month
• The World Almanac ®
for Kids
• Encyclopedia
Britannica ®
Database Features– Current Events
Current Events
• Dynamically updated
with full-text articles
and graphics.
• New content added
daily.
• Editor-selected to
encourage research
and awareness of
current events.
Database Features
Spotlight of the Month
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Spotlight of the Month
features a new topic
each month covering
timely to encourage
further research.
Preview the upcoming
spotlight for lesson
planning, or review the
archive from the previous
year.
Database Features
World Almanac
• The World Almanac for
Kids provides
information on a variety
of topics including people,
countries, animals, the
environment, and history.
• Search or browse a table
of contents.
• View maps and other
related graphics.
Database Features
Encyclopedia
• Search Encyclopedia
Britannica's 17,440
entries.
• Research articles and
images covering
science, math, history,
cultures, ideas, the
natural world, places,
people, and more.
SIRS Discoverer Search Paths
Three Search Methods
1. Subject Tree Search
— Locate content via
15 category buttons.
— Categories are divided into
sub-topics, or “branches,”
creating a subject tree.
— Useful when you have a
general subject in mind
and allows you to explore
many different fields
without limiting you to
predetermined topics.
Database Features
Three Search Methods
1. Subject Tree Search
— Topics appear in each
category and may be
followed by article or
website titles.
— An < indicates the branch
has been expanded.
— Select the branch to return
to that level of the tree.
— An > indicates there are
additional levels beyond
this branch in the tree.
Database Features
Three Search Methods
2. Keyword Search
— Boolean Operators
AND, OR, NOT
— Truncation
farm* -> farmers, farming
— Phrase Searching
“affirmative action”
— Natural Language
Why is the sky blue?
— Article Sorting
Relevance
Date
Lexile
Database Features
Three Search Methods
2. Keyword Search (Advanced)
— Additional search fields
available, search by
Title or Author, or
together in conjunction
with Full-Text.
— Reading Level Selectors:
Easy, Moderate,
Challenging
— Search in almanac or
encyclopedia
— Limit results to a
Lexile range.
Database Features
Three Search Methods
3. Subject Headings Search
— Use this method when
you have a specific
research topic in mind.
— Articles are indexed
according to Library of
Congress subject
headings.
Database Features
Search Results
• Results are returned
with special icons and
tools that aid in
selecting content:
1. Source & Summary
2. Article or Website Title
3. Subjects
4. Pictures
5. Article Labels
a – Activity
f – Fiction
p – People
6. Source/Publisher
7. Date
8. Size
Database Features
Source Tabs & Modify
• Source tabs have
been added to help
further narrow your
results.
• A search box at the
bottom enable users
to modify a search
without having to
start over.
Database Features
Source & Summary
• Source information
accompanies every
full-text article and
website.
• Summaries are
written by SIRS
editors to help
students and
teachers judge
relevance quickly.
Database Features
Full-Text Articles
• 100% Full-Text
• Keyword bolding of
search terms
• Article Reading Levels
• In-line pictures support
reading
• Links to related articles
• Email articles and
pictures
• Print for reading or
reference
Database Features
WebFind Sites
• Selected by subject
specialists to ensure
age appropriateness,
credibility, reliability.
• Continually monitored
for content changes.
• Source, Summary, and
Descriptor information
aids in determining
content.
• Supports curriculum
through assigned
Reading Levels,
Topics, and
Subjects.
Database Features
Reading Levels
General
(All grades)
Easy
(Grades 1-4)
Moderate
(Grades 5-7)
Challenging
(Grades 8+)
• Articles and sites are
assigned a reading
level according to
editorial judgement,
the Flesch Reading
Ease and Lexile scale.
• Limit searches to
include articles or
websites of a single
reading level or
broader Lexile range,
in any combination.
Database Features
Lexile Score Table
Age
@ www.lexile.com
School
Year
Typical
Lexile Level
7
3
300- 800
8
4
400- 900
9
5
500-1000
10
6
600-1100
11
7
700-1200
12
8
800-1300
13
9
900-1400
14
10
1000-1700
15
11
1100-1700
16
12
1200-1700
(All grade levels) (Grades 1-4) (Grades 5-7)
(8th Grade & Beyond)
Reading Levels
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Why use two separate
reading levels?
SIRS editorially-assigned
reading levels take into
account subject matter,
depth of coverage and
Flesch Reading Ease
scale.
Lexile Scores provide a
formalized measurement
by which students and
teachers can track their
reading progress, one
of the necessary
requirements for
NCLB funding.
Database Features
Subjects
• Subjects are words or
phrases based on
Library of Congress
subject headings that
describe what an
article is about and link
to related articles.
• All articles and
websites are handindexed to ensure
relevant results.
Database Features
Pictures
• The Camera icon
signifies that there are
one or more pictures
available.
• Select the icon to view
a list.
• In addition, articles
include inline
thumbnail images,
which assist
researchers and
create context.
Database Features
Article Labels
• a - Designates the
article contains an
activity.
• f - Designates the
article is a work of
fiction.
• p - Designates the
article contains
biographical
information about
a person.
Database Features
Email
• Users may email
full-text articles and
pictures to their
personal email
addresses
right from the
article display.
Database Features
Print
• A Print button displays
at the top of each
article.
• Allows quick and easy
access to the print
dialog box of your
browser.
Additional Aids
Dictionary +
Thesaurus
• A dictionary and
thesaurus are
available to assist
users in defining words,
checking spelling,
choosing the perfect
word, and more.
Additional Aids
How to Cite
• How to Cite provides
descriptions and real
examples on how to
cite using the Modern
Language
Association Format
(MLA), the American
Psychological
Association Format
(APA), and Turabian.
Additional Aids
Workbooks
• SIRS workbooks
contain exercises
that help users
master search
methods.
• Educator’s Guide
• Primary School
Edition, targeting
grades 1-5
• Middle School Edition,
targeting grades 6-8
• Available in
PDF and
HTML.
Additional Aids
Educators’ Resources
— Includes a collection of
materials designed to
help librarians and
library patrons.
— Access anywhere in
from a link provided in
the footer of every
page.
SIRS Source Lists & More
@ proquestk12.com
— Download the latest
source lists.
— Researcher,
Discoverer,
Renaissance,
Decades
— Additional background
information, training
materials, posters,
custom flyers, videos.
— www.proquestk12.com
SIRS Discoverer
Taiwan Agent
Transmission Books & Microinfo
02-2736-1058
info@tts.tbmc.com.tw