How to Find Newspapers and Magazines in the Mt. SAC Library Databases

Accessing the Library Databases

• Website: Go to mtsac.edu/library.
• Databases: Click on the "Databases" button to access the alphabetical listing of databases.
  • At the time of the recording, 140 databases are available.

Using EBSCO Multiple Databases

• Selection: Choose the letter 'E' and select "EBSCO Multiple Databases" to search across more than 29 databases simultaneously.
• Sign-In: If off-campus, sign in using your Canvas or student email credentials.
• Database Selection: Select "All EBSCO Databases" to ensure a comprehensive search.

Preferences Setup

• Citation Format: Change the default citation format from Brazilian National Standard to MLA.
  • This is crucial for preparing MLA Works Cited pages for your assignments.
• Publication Date Range: Set to cover the last six full years (e.g., 2017-2023).

Search Strategies

• Keyword Entry: Ensure correct spelling of search terms (e.g., "Colosseum" for the Roman Colosseum).
• Narrowing Results: Filter results to focus on newspapers and magazines to avoid academic journals.
  • Icons: Recognize periodicals (magazines), news (newspapers), and other types.

Evaluating Search Results

• Article Selection:
  • Trick 1: Scan article titles for relevance.
  • Trick 2: Hover over the magnifying glass icon to read the abstract quickly.
  • Focus on articles that provide useful statistics or insights.

Emailing Articles

• Email Function: Use the email icon to send articles to your email.
  • Ensure email delivery by setting both 'to' and 'from' addresses to your email.
  • Check spam/junk folders if emails aren't received.

Advanced Search Techniques

• Boolean Searches: Use 'AND' to refine searches (e.g., "Colosseum AND gladiators").
  • This narrows down articles by ensuring both terms appear in the results.

Managing Article Formats

• Formats: Articles may appear as HTML full text or PDF full text.
  • PDFs represent the original layout from the publication.

Recap of Steps

1. Start at the library homepage.
2. Click the "Databases" link, select "EBSCO Multiple Databases".
3. Hit "Select All" and then "Continue".
4. Change citation to MLA and set appropriate date ranges.
5. Enter your topic and begin searching.
6. Use title scanning and abstract reading to select useful articles.
7. Email articles using your email address for both 'to' and 'from.'

Final Tips

• Focus on newspapers and magazines for contemporary and general insights.
• Avoid academic journals unless necessary, as they are more specialized.
• Utilize Boolean search terms to derive specific articles matching your topics.