How to Use the Library: Library Research Tutorials

Academic Journals: 

Peer-Reviewed Sources

Peer-reviewed sources are easily located in One-Search. Select the Peer-reviewed Journals limiter to the left of the results.

Peer-reviewed articles in the search results are indicated by a purple Peer Reviewed label. 

Magazines and Newspapers:

Non-Peer Reviewed Sources

You may also discover magazine and newspaper articles in One Search. By default, and article search will include peer-reviewed sources. To remove them, we must select Exclude Peer-reviewed Journals, which is the red tick box to the left of the Peer-reviewed Journals limiter.

Under the Resource Type limiter (see image to the left), select articles and/or newspapers after excluding peer-reviewed sources.

PASCAL Delivers Catalog: Books and Ebooks

PASCAL = Partnership Among South Carolina's Academic Libraries. Use PASCAL to search for academic books. Access PASCAL to the right of the search box.

The PASCAL Catalog allows you to access and request most hard-copy books from across the libraries in the state of South Carolina. Think of the PASCAL Catalog as a shared catalog of books, connecting you to thousands of resources. Pascal also includes access to a large number of ebooks.

Note: See the Ebook Tutorial for a complete way to access Limestone's ebooks.

Library Book Catalog

The Library Catalog is the way to access books in the Limestone Stacks, that is, books on the shelf at Limestone. The catalog will also include ebooks that Limestone owns. Other ebooks are available through PASCAL.

Important: To limit the results to books on the shelf, conduct a Library Catalog search (see image to the left) and then select Held by Library in the Availability options. The resulting list will be only physical items.

Note: See the Ebook Tutorial for a complete way to access Limestone's ebooks.

Library Book Search

When in doubt about searching for books, start here.

This tutorial demonstrates a simple way to limit your results to books. The results will include Limestone books, ebooks, and PASCAL Delivers books and ebooks.

Library EBook Search

This tutorial demonstrates a general ebook search. Ebooks are located in both the Library Catalog and PASCAL Catalog. Using the instructions in this video will limit your results to ebooks in both resources at once.

Boolean Operators

The three Boolean Operators AND, OR, and NOT allow the searcher to better customize the results.

*When typing Boolean Operators, use all capitol letters, which is required by some databases.

AND: The default operator. Most used in an advanced search when the searcher adds a new search field. Note: the computer assumes that when you insert more than one word, you want it to return results that contain all of those words, although not necessarily in that order. That is, the AND operator is default and assumed unless you tell the computer differently.

OR: Used when the searcher wants to see results for one keyword and/or another keyword, but not necessarily both. Thus, using the keywords Producer OR Manufacturer would return results that have at least one of those two keywords. Those with both would appear at the top of the results. Producer AND Manufacturer would return only results with both words. 

Note: AND will return fewer results than OR!

NOT: this operator will exclude the keyword(s) you insert. Use to filter out results containing a keyword that is not relevant to your intended results.

Exact Phrase Search

Exact Phrase Search: Using "quotation marks" around two or more words tells the computer to find that exact phrase. By default, databases and search engines treat keywords as separate terms unless you conduct an exact phrase search.

Keyword Search: human evolution

Exact Phrase Search: "human evolution"

Use an exact phrase search when it will allow to receive a more relevant set of results. It is particularly useful when your keywords return results that are not relevant, but where an exact phrase or two would return better results.

You may combine two slightly different exact phrases searches using the OR Boolean operator. Also see the use of truncation within an exact phrase search.

The Wildcard Search and Truncation

The wildcard symbols are the asterisk, * and the question mark, ?. The asterisk is most commonly used to truncate a keyword. The * tells the computer to look for any combination of letters (including zero) after the * mark.

Truncation is a useful alternative to the OR Boolean operator, allowing you to search for multiple forms of a word at once. First, identify the root of the word you wish to truncate. Then place the asterisk just after the root for truncation. 

Example Truncation Keyword: manufact* would return results for manufacture, manufactures, manufacturing, etc.

Example Truncation Keyword: biped* would return results for biped, bipedal, bipedalism, etc.

Also use truncation within an exact phrase search: "English manufact*" would return results for English manufacturers, English manufacturing, etc. Remember, that an exact phrase search requires the words to be in the exact order as they appear in your search query. Only use it in situation where the exact order is important to your search!

Wildcard symbol ?: Used less often to stand in for 0 or 1 different letter. An example is color, which is sometimes spelled colour. Use the ? to find either result.

Example ? Keyword: colo?r which will return results containing the word color or colour.

Inter-Library Loan (ILL)

ILL allows you to access articles and books that Limestone does not own or have access to. 

One Search has the ability to show you articles that Limestone does not have immediate access to in full text format. To see these additional articles that match your keywords:

1) In One Search, select Expand My Results to see results beyond Limestone's collection. Items that display "no available services" may be requested via ILL.

2) Fill in the Inter-Library Loan Request Form is located at the top if One Search with as much information as you can. Some files will be blank depending on what you are requesting.

3) Wait for the item to be filled or to be notified that it is unavailable. This process usually takes 2-5 days.

See PASCAL Delivers for a special way to request books from other SC academic libraries.

Note: ILL does not work for textbooks. The librarians will attempt to process all ILL requests, but some items may not be available via ILL.

Price: ILL is often free of charge to our patrons. In some cases, the lending library may charge ILL fees. Limestone's library currently pays up to $15 per patron, per academic year. If you exceed this amount, you will be contacted to pay any fees before the item is processed.