It does not matter how well you have prepared your search if you then search in the wrong place! But how can you know which database is best suited for your search query? The short answer is – read the help text of the database or ask a librarian. You get a longer answer here below:
On the Library web site there are tips on what databases are good for respective education. Choose information resources > look for your item.
For each database there is a short description which tells among other things which subject group it belongs to, start year and type of document.
It does not matter how well you prepare your search if you then search in the wrong place!
In the help text of each database its subject coverage and contents are described in detail:
- What subject? In publishers’ journal databases there can often be wide subject coverage, while reference databases often specialize in a particular subject.
- What type of document? Do you want news, course literature, international articles or perhaps a thesis?
- What period of time? When did they begin to register documents and how often is the database updated? Do you need current international coverage or historical information?
- What level? Do you want scientific articles or newspaper items? A handbook or a report?
- Language/geographical area? Should documents comprise Swedish/international conditions in Swedish or in another language?
How soon? If you choose e-journals or e-books you will get the material at once on your computer screen. Printed documents can be slower to retrieve – a couple of days – a week.
In Samsök you can search for databases by subject. Choose Search database > category > subcategory, then click search and you get a list of results. If you want to find out more about the database, click on 
.
Here you have the opportunity to compare the search engine Google Scholar with the medical reference database Medline:
Search schedule useful for information seeking:
Eva Norling
2005-12-13
