Using Databases at Oakton

Academic Search Ultimate 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 below 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 unless you put the search word in quotation marks (“”).
• Limit results by applying Filters before or after performing a search.

Access more detailed directions and videos below.

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

Jump to: Searching | Results List | Article Record

To search Academic Search Ultimate:

• 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, or subject terms). If you do not pick a field, the database will look for your terms in any part of the article record.

• Filters (located below the search boxes) allow you to limit search 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 such as newest or oldest.
• To get more information about an article in your search results, click on its title. This allows you to locate citation information and links to full text, when available.

 

 

• If you did not select options such as Full Text, Peer Reviewed, or Publication Date before searching, you can still apply those filters to the search results by using the drop-down list shortcuts under the search bar on the results page. 
• 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 title, 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 Access now (Online full text) or Access now (PDF).
• Subject Terms: By clicking one of the Subjects listed, you can find more articles about that topic.
• Abstract: This field provides a summary of the article.

• Print: Use the Access now button to select (if available) the article’s PDF or Online full text viewer. 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: When viewing an article record, 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 viewer. In the viewer, click the Headphone icon in the tools menu to open the Listen panel on the right, then click the Play button to listen.