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CHEM 500 - Research Methods

Research tips & Resources for Chemistry Graduate Students

Searching for Books (WorldCat Discovery)

Using the Advanced Search features of WorldCat Discovery

To Search for Books, documents, publications and more on your topic, start on Albertsons Library's main page and click the Books, Videos, and More box.

Library's main page with Books, Journals and more box circled

 

From here you can search WorldCat Discovery, which finds materials in Albertsons Library and from all over the world. If you just want to know what Albertsons Library has, scroll down and use the Albertsons Library's Catalog search box.

 

The Advanced WorldCat Discovery Search has a nice layout that will help you structure your search using the keywords you developed on your topic. Scroll down below the WorldCat Discovery search box to find the link to the Advanced Search feature.

WordCat Discovery Search box with arrow to Advanced Search Link

Using Filters to Refine Your WorldCat Discovery Search

Once you've completed your initial search, use the Filters in the left navigation bar of the results page to refine your search. You can filter by:

  • Held By Library - The Library that has the item. This allows you to limit to books in Albertsons Library's Collection

Held By Library filter with BSU Albertsons Library circled

  • Format, including article, chapter, book, video, music recording, archival materials, audiobook, computer file, and more.

Format Filter showing filter by Article, Chapter and Book

  • Content Type, such as Open Access, Biography, Fiction, and Peer Reviewed
  • Publication Year, which allows you to filter by the last 5 years, the last 10 years, the last 25 years or by a custome date range

Publication Year Filter with options showing

  • Author or Creator
  • Subject
  • Language

Moving Beyond Your Initial WorldCat Discovery Search

Once you've done an initial search with the keywords for your topic, take a look at the search results and use what you find to refine your search.

Did you find the perfect book or dissertation - exactly what you need?  Click on the title of the book then look closely at the record:

  • Scroll down - Are there subject headings that you could use to refine your search?
  • Consider search by the author(s) of the book
  • Get a copy of the book and look at the bibliography or list of references. Retrieve copies of the items that look relevant