Using Databases at Oakton

Academic Search Complete is a multi-disciplinary full-text database. As one of the largest databases available through Oakton Library, it is an excellent starting point for a wide range of research projects. Some general tips:

• Search exact phrases with quotation marks (“”).
• Use just one or two-word phrases as keywords. The database will not look for common ‘stop words’ such as: been, however, so, or, in, the, and, etc.
• Check the Subjects tab underneath the search boxes to find the preferred search terms used in this database.
• Truncate your terms with an asterisk (*) to find more results. For example, type comput* to find the words computer or computing or compute, etc.
• When a singular word is searched, the plural and possessive forms of that word will also be searched as long as you do not put your search term in quotation marks (“”).  

Access more detailed directions and videos below.

Click the link below to begin searching Academic Search Complete. (Log in with your Oakton username and password if prompted.)

Jump to: Searching | Results List | Article Record

To search Academic Search Complete:

• Enter your keywords in the search boxes. Try to include only one word or simple phrase per box.
• Narrow your search by selecting a search field from the All fields drop-down list next to each search box (for example, author, title, subject terms, or other fields). If you do not pick an option, the database will look for your terms in any part of the article record.

• Under Filters (below the search boxes), you can limit your results by several criteria.
  Some examples:
  • Full Text: Select this box to find only articles that appear in their entirety in this database.
  • Peer Reviewed: Select this box to find only articles from experts written in peer-reviewed publications.
  • Publication Date: Limit by year of publication by selecting a pre-set limit (past 12 months, past 5 years, past 10 years) or by selecting Custom range.

Once you have a list of results from your search:

• Results appear in Relevance order (the most relevant first) under the search term boxes. Click on the Relevance drop-down list to select other sorting options.
• To get more information about an article in your search results, click View details. The Detailed Record includes an article’s citation information and links to full text, when available.

• If you did not initially select options such as Full Text, Peer Reviewed, or Publication Date when searching, you can add those filters now using the drop-down list shortcuts under the search bar. 
• The All filters option displays the complete range of filters available for limiting your results. Here you can select Subject or Subject: Thesaurus Term to list and select topics relevant to your search.

Once you click on an article's title or "View details," the following options and information appear :

• Access options: Select an article to read by clicking its Access options button and selecting a full text option. If only one full text option is available, the Access button will display that as Access now (Online full text) or Access now (PDF).
• Subject Terms: By clicking one of the Subjects listed, you can find more articles about the topic selected.
• Abstract: Next to the term Abstract you can read a summary of the article.

• Print: Use the Access now button to select (if available) the article’s PDF or Online full text version. In the viewer, click the Print icon in the tools menu displayed at the top of the article. This opens your browser's print dialog box.
• Cite: From a record's detail view, click the Cite tool (shaped as a quotation mark “ icon). Select a citation style from the Style drop-down menu (APA, Chicago/Turabian, MLA, etc.). Click the Copy to clipboard button.
• Text-To-Speech: Use the Access now button to select (if available) the article’s PDF or Online full text version. In the viewer, click the Headphone icon in the tools menu to open the Listen panel on the right and click the Play button to listen.