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Group Evaluations
[Listings followed by NF indicate my work]

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Article 1st | NF

Children's Magazine Guide | NF

Business Periodicals Index | NF

Global NewsBank

New York Times Index 

NewsBank

Periodicals Contents Index

Play Index

Short Story Index

Social Sciences Citation Index
 
Social Sciences Index

Ethnic News Watch

Essay and General Literature Index

Dissertation Abstracts Online

Book Review Digest

The Columbia Granger’s Index to Poetry in Anthologies

Humanities Index

Media Review Digest

Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature 

Indexes and Abstracts


Article 1st | NF


Citation
Ohio Library and Information Network. (1990). Article first. Dublin, Ohio: OCLC.

Purpose
Provides accurate, up-to-date information about accessing journal articles, including full text with links to local libraries. It is designed for academic, research and public libraries that need to meet the research needs of their patrons.

Authority
This online index is produced by OCLC, the Online Computer Library Center, Inc.      

Scope
The Article 1st database has records of over 23 million articles in more than 16,000 sources. Subject areas that are covered are; business, humanities, medicine, popular culture, science, social science and technology.

Format
This index is available online only.

Arrangement
The Article 1st interface through First Search of this indexing database is clean and straightforward. You can search by 15 different terms, including keyword, author, first page, issue, source, publisher, standard # to name but a few. With advanced search options of all these terms you can get as specific as you want in locating an article.

Entries
Search results page lists the title of the article, the author, the source, how many libraries the article is in worldwide, if it is located at your local library, and more details on locating the item. The information on the specific article has a link to search the catalog at your local library, gives citation information, copyright information as well as full bibliographic information.

Special Features
You are able to limit your search to full text articles, to year, to availability of subscriptions held in your library or library consortia as well as rank your results by relevance, date, or no ranking. You can also browse by title, and search in eight different languages. There are also options to email the article, print or export it to EndNote, RefWorks or a text file. Article 1st is updated daily.

Use and overall evaluation
For the academic library this would be an extremely valuable indexing database. The fact that Article 1st provides full text articles is a valuable resource for reference librarians in academics as well as mid to large public and special research libraries.

Children's Magazine Guide | NF


Citation
Children's magazine guide. (YEAR). Madison, Wis: The Guide.

Purpose
The Children's Magazine Guide provides students, parents, teachers, and librarians with an easy-to-use, yet comprehensive tool that provides indexing information of children's magazines focused on meeting curriculum guidelines for elementary and middle school students. This guide is also an excellent tool for the children's collections in public libraries.

Authority
The Children's Magazine Guide is published by Libraries Unlimited, a well-respected imprint of ABC-CLIO. Libraries Unlimited provides high quality publications for librarians, teachers, and students of LIS programs.

Scope
This guide provides a subject guide to more than 60 children's magazines. Issues also include citations and annotations about quality websites relating to articles that are indexed. It also includes the Index of Professional Journals - School Library Edition in the back of the print edition of the following magazines: Knowledge Quest, Library Media Connection, LibrarySparks,
School Library Journal, School Library Media Activities Monthly, Teacher Librarian.

Format
The guide is available in print format and online free with a print subscription.

Arrangement
The Children's Magazine Guide is printed nine times a year, and each guide lists individual magazines in alphabetical order under a subject heading. There are two types of cross-referencing: see and see also that makes it easier to find information.

Entries
Entries are listen in alphabetical order under alpha-ordered subject headings. The article title, author, magazine, page number and cross-referencing for each entry. If there are related websites, they are listed with the URL and an annotation of the site.

Special Features
Each issue includes a Site 2 See, annotations of a carefully screened website of educational value. They print a reproducible Whiz Quiz which helps students learn how to use the guide as well as strengthen their library skills.

Use and overall evaluation
This is a useful tool for librarians who work with elementary and middle school students. It is a terrific resource for finding information and for teaching young people literacy skills.

Business Periodicals Index | NF


Citation
H.W. Wilson Company. (1959). Business periodicals index. New York: H.W. Wilson.

Purpose
This index provides valuable information for business professionals. It provides information that businesses need to stay on top of the business market. It helps them keep track of competitors, evaluate new products and follow trends in the industry.

Authority
Published by the H.W. Wilson Co. a leader in the publishing industry.

Scope
This database indexes 527 English language business periodicals. Big names such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and Business Week are only a few of the ones covered. Information as varied as interviews, corporate profiles, product reviews, conferences is included. The Business Periodicals Index covers a broad range of topics including accounting, insurance, government regulations, taxes and engineering to name a few. The database covers 1982 to the present. There are over one and a half million bibliographic records with citations only.

Format
The Business Periodicals Index is available in book and ebook format and in electronic format through Ovid online.

Arrangement
The Index is published monthly except in July with bimonthly, twice yearly and annual cumulations.

Entries
The online database has a simple interface and is searchable with simple and advanced search options.

Special Features
Business experts write 50 to 150 word abstracts in the Business Abstracts that is available through Ovid.

Use and overall evaluation
A well respected industry index, an essential reference for professionals in the field of business who need up-to-date information

Global NewsBank


Citation
NewsBank, inc. (1990s). Global newsbank. [New Canaan, Conn.]: NewsBank. http://infoweb.newsbank.com.

Purpose
Designed specifically for students and teachers.

Authority
Global NewsBank is a database supported by NewsBank Inc, a respected information provider for over 35 years.

Scope
Covers news summaries, broadcasts and transcripts from hundreds of international sources relating to politics, economics, science & technology, culture and business.
It is updated daily and covers from 1996 to present.  Provides more than 90,000 articles annually from over 1,000 international sources.

Format
Online only.

Arrangement
Arranged by the following categories:  Civics, government and politics, Crime and law, Economics, Education, Environment, Film and television, Fine arts and architecture, Health, History, International relation, Literature, People, Performing arts, Science and technology, Social issues, and Sports.

Entries
Offers an intuitive basic interface, but also has advanced search options.  Each story is indexed by numerous subjects within basic categories, enabling researchers to find related content.

Special Features
Has something call Big 6 Research Center which helps you chose a topic, select a search strategy, plan a project, cite sources and includes assessment tools and lesson plans.

Use and Overall Evaluation
This looks like an excellent resource for elementary schools, high schools and colleges.  It promotes critical thinking skills by presenting a variety of coverage from local perspectives up to regional, national and international as well as historical background.  This type of presentation offers students and teachers the full picture relating to topical issues thereby promoting informed discussion.

New York Times Index


Citation
The New York times index. (1913). New York: New York Times.

Purpose
To provide a complete listing of all articles ever published by The New York Times newspaper.

Authority:
Known as the "Master-Key to the news since 1851.”  Originally developed by Adolph Simon Ochs, the original New York Times owner and publisher.  It is the only complete US newspaper index.

Scope:
Index of all articles in The New York Times. Uses the Late City edition as this is the edition which is archived by the paper.

Format:
Printed version. There are also two online searchable databases.  One goes from 1981 to the present.  The other is a historical database which goes from 1851 to 1980.

Arrangement:
Print version is semimonthly with annual cumulations

Entries:
Each entry is dated and cross-referenced by subject matter and names.  A brief description of the story is included and gives the issue, page and column of its original publication.

Special Features:
Can search online version by headline, author, keyword or date range.

Use and Overall Evaluation:
There are several newspaper indexes now; however none that go back as far as The New York Times.  This makes this resource especially valuable for historical research back to 1851

NewsBank


Citation:
NewsBank, inc. (1982). NewsBank index. New Canaan, Conn: NewsBank

Purpose:
NewsBank offers a variety of products for each of their different types of customers.  They have separate online services for publishers, public libraries, schools - from elementary through college, government libraries, genealogists, and research professionals

Authority:
NewsBank Inc has been a respected information provider for over 35 years.

Scope:
NewsBank provides access to more than 2,000 newspapers, newswires, transcripts, and business journals,

Format:
NewsBank is entirely web-based and requires a subscription.

Arrangement:
Searching can be done by "all text", lead paragraph, headline, author, section, caption, page, source, word count, or date range.

Entries:
Entries include full text and full citations.

Special Features:
When searching through a selected source, for example The New York Times, you are given a brief history of the newspaper as well as its circulation, coverage area, and publishing frequency.

Use and Overall Evaluation:
This is such a large resource.  The coverage is so broad yet it is still easily searchable.  I also like the way it has geared its many products to different audiences and that it strives to make available articles on all points of view.

Periodicals Contents Index


Citation
Periodicals contents index. (1996). Alexandria, Va.: Chadwyck-Healey.

Purpose
Collection of full-text articles from the fine arts, social sciences, foreign languages, and humanities.

Authority
Chadwyck-Healey, owned by ProQuest, emphasizes electronic format and is responsible for cataloguing the majority of the English poetry research conducted since the middle ages online. They also specialize in smaller, specialty humanities topics and have several small journals dedicated to these (such as a journal dedicated solely to Kafka).
Scope As mentioned, the journal covers large and small, from topics as broad as “English Poetry” to those as narrow as “Kafka.“ Throughout all of their databases there are well over ten million articles covering most western languages and dating back as early eighteenth century.

Format
The index covers online databases, academic journals, common periodicals, and collections of artistic work.

Arrangement
The search feature allows for a fairly comprehensive search, though it tended to return too many articles at once, and when more specific terms were used, too little. Perhaps this has to do with the slightly narrowed scope when compared to a massive database like Ebsco.

Special Features
One thing that was a bit exceptional, though, was the percentage of materials available in a digital format; full-text was available for most entries. The collection seemed fairly traditional, other than this single exception.

Use and Overall Evaluation
One of the problems I had with this index was its availability. One would think Proquest owning its publisher (Chadwyck-Healey) would make things easier, but the publisher was not listed under Proquest’s resources. The access point originally listed for this index -- UIUC -- was a private page and was inaccessible to non-students/employees. Worldcat was the only resource that listed this source besides private collegiate sites
 

Play Index


Citation
Play index 1988-1992 (1993). New York: H. W. Wilson. 
 
Purpose
This book indexes drama in various forms.
 
Authority
This index is published by the well-known and respected H.W. Wilson Company.
 
Scope
Play Index gives information on almost 4, 387 plays individually published plays or collections from 1988 – 1992.  Plays are either written in English or translations of plays written in other languages. 
 
Format
Available as print volume published every few years, in irregular intervals. (Also available online through WilsonWeb)
 
Arrangement     
The index is organized by four different sections.  There is an Author, Title, and Subject Index which gives information about individual plays and is listed in a single alphabet.  There is a Cast Analysis that identifies plays by type and size of cast.  There is a List of Collections Indexed giving information about play collections, and a Directory of Publishers and Distributors.
 
Entries
 Author entry gives author name, play title, short description, number of acts and scenes, size and composition of the cast, and amount of sets used.  Publisher, publication date, pagination, ISBN, and Library of Congress numbers are given if available for separately published plays.  Plays involving particular subject matters are listed under that subject title.
 
Special features
This index allows the user to search by cast type, which would be extremely helpful when searching for possible plays to perform.  It also informs the user if a play is appropriate for children through grade 6, or grades 7-12, also helpful if planning a school play.
 
Use and overall evaluation
This index is very useful for writers, researchers, and performers of the theater.  It is appropriate for libraries, especially school libraries with their drama programs.  It may also have practical real-world applications as it could serve as a resource for those in charge of planning/budgeting/casting plays.
 

Short Story Index


Citation
Short story index 1999-2004. (2004). New York: H. W. Wilson.
 
Purpose
This book indexes various short stories.
              
Authority
This index is published by the well-known and respected H.W. Wilson Company.
 
Scope
This index contains about 21,591 short stories of all genres from 1999-2004.  They have been written in English or translated.  It is typically issued every year with five-year cumulations, however this index actually covers six years due to a change in index dating style.
 
Format
Short Story Index is available in print ( and electronically through WilsonWeb)
 
Arrangement
It is organized by three parts.  The first is the Author, Title, and Subject index, and listed alphabetically.  The second is the List of Collections indexed.  The third is the Directory of Periodicals.
 
Entries
The author entries give author name and story title.  If a story is part of a collection, the collection title and editor are given.  If a story is from a periodical, the periodical title, volume number, page numbers, and date are given.  Title entries bold the first word of each title to help identify its author, and subject entries are written in bold, capital letters.
 
Special features
The technique of bolding a subject entry, or the first word of a title allow for authors, titles, and subjects to be conveniently indexed together for quick searching without confusion.
 
Use and overall evaluation
This guide would be appropriate for libraries, educational institutions, and literary enthusiasts.

Social Sciences Citation Index


Citation
Social sciences citation index 1956-.  (1973). Philadelphia: Institute for Scientific Information.
 
Purpose
The purpose is to provide up-to-date information on leading science journals.
 
Authority
This index has been compiled by the Institute for Scientific Information, owned by Thompson Reuters.  They are experts in bibliographic databases, specializing in citation indexing.
 
Scope
Social Sciences Citation Index indexes over 1,700 journals, either fully covered or of individual articles, of every science.  Some monographic series are also indexed.
 
Format
Available in print and online (through Web of Science).
 
Arrangement
The print version is arranged by Citation Index, Source Index, Permuterm Subject Index, and Corporate Index.  The online version can be searched by keyword, author name, and journal name.
 
Entries
The entries online include the article title, author name, source information, document type, original language, amount of cited references, number of times cited, abstract, keywords, and links to related records.
 
Special features
The Citation Index lists who has cited particular works.  This is useful because it allows the user to see how work has been used or critiqued by others.  It also provides feedback for the author.
 
Use and overall evaluation
This index is a great tool for librarians, scientists, and researchers.  The abstracts allow for efficient researching and the index would probably best serve a user early in the research process to help him/her sift through the available material.
 

Social Sciences Index


Citation
Social Sciences Index. (1974) New York: H. W. Wilson. 
 
Purpose
This is an index to English language periodicals.
 
Authority
This index is published by H.W. Wilson, and has been put together by the Committee on Wilson.  The committee has been advised by the American Library Association’s Reference and User Services Association, and takes periodical recommendations from H.W. Wilson subscribers and users.
 
Scope
500 international English-language periodical are indexed. 
 
Format
Available in print (or online Ovid as Social Sciences Abstracts)

Arrangement
The print version is an author and subject index, with entries arranged in one alphabet. Cross-referencing occurs when subject headings have been changed due to newer terminology, when more information can be found elsewhere, or when geographical subdivisions occur. There are a citation and an Abbreviations of Periodicals Indexed sections also available.

Entries
Articles are filed by author name or subject term. Entries include periodical title abbreviation, volume, issue number, pagination, and publication date. Entries filed under a subject term are filed under a subject heading and subdivision. They include feature articles, review articles, scholarly replies to literature, interviews, obituaries, and biographies. Advertisements, meeting announcements, cartoons, some editorials and letters to editors are not included.

Special features
Some titles have the word symposium after them, showing that they share a common theme. This would be useful for a researcher or someone writing a paper.

Use and overall evaluation
This index would be extremely appropriate for a public or academic library. It files many periodicals in one index, making it quick and easy to use. It might not appeal to the layman periodical enthusiast, though, as some of the more colorful segments of the publications have been omitted from this index.

Ethnic News Watch


Citation
Ethnic newsWatch [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning. . http://www.softlineweb.com/softlineweb/ethnic.htm

Purpose
It offers full text articles from newspapers, magazines and academic journals of the ethnic, minority and native press. Also offers bibliographic citations of these articles.

Authority
ProQuest Information and Learning Company and SoftLine Information (Firm)

Scope
Over 200 publications, providing over 550,000 articles. Also includes a publishers' directory, circulation figures, advertising rates, and histories of individual newspapers. Updated monthly and offers coverage from 1960 to present .

Format
Online Database / Resource Type

Arrangement
The entries are arranged by relevance, with the most relevant articles at the top of the results listing

Entries
Entries can be displayed chronologically or most relevant.

Special Features
Ethnic News Watch is offered in English as well as Spanish. E-NewS Watch also provides tabs where you can look at all the scholarly ljournals, newspapers or magazines by clicking on the appropriate tab. E-News Watch is also accessible both on and off college campuses.

Overall Evaluation
E-News Watch narrows down the search for resources in both English and Spanish as well as creates an online database for searches to find minority newspapers and journals. I think this is a good resource for college campuses to have for students who need to research certain topics that pertain to minority journals. Information that might be difficult to find is compiled into one searchable databas

Essay and General Literature Index


Citation
Essay and General Literature Index, 1900- . New York: H. W. Wilson, 1934,

Purpose
It offers access to essays in the humanities and social sciences, including literary works, art history, drama and film.

Authority
The HW Wilson company

Scope
Provides access to 86,000 essays contained in 7,000 anthologies and collections. It is indexed annually with 300 volumes (single and multi-author) and also 20 selected annuals and serials.

Format
Available online and updated daily on WilsonWeb., and also available in print

Arrangement
Articles can be searched by keyword, subject, title, author, date of publication, or any combination. Also each citation links to a list of other works in the collection, others by the author, and others on the subject, as well as to an entry for the source collection.

Entries
Entries are displayed by relevance with options to search related subjects, display the full text of an article, display actual page images and check for full text on other linked databases in the internet.

Special Features
Up to date subject heading and library holding indicator which is linked to OPAC, this lets users know if cited volumes will be found in their library

Overall evaluation
The database offers a large amount of demos, tutorials and quick tips which make it easy to understand. Also, with up to date information and the ease of searching I think the database would be a good tool for academic libraries.

Dissertation Abstracts Online


Citation
Dissertation Abstracts Online. Ann Arbor, Mich.: UMI, 1938-.

Purpose
This database covers masters theses and dissertations including dissertations from Canada, Great Britain, and Europe.

Authority
ProQuest Information and Learning

Scope
Over 2,200,000 records covering dates from 1861 to present as well as abstracts since 1980 and thesis abstracts since 1988

Format
Available online and updated monthly. Also with print counterparts.

Arrangement
Articles can be searched by keyword, abstract, advisor, accession number, author, author phrase, descriptor. Institution, publication date, subject and title.

Entries
The entries contain the accession number and update, title, author, institution, source, year degree granted, an abstract, what language the dissertation is in, descriptors and advisor.

Special Features
The following features are available ERA, Graduate Education Program, KWIC and HILIGHT, DIALOG Alert, and CURRENT.

Overall Evaluation
Dissertations come from 98% of accredited North American Universities as well as ones from major European counties, which make this database very comprehensive

Book Review Digest


Citation
Dunmore-Leiber, L. (1976). Book review digest: Author/title index, 1905-1974. Bronx, N.Y.: H.W. Wilson.

Purpose
Provides reviews of a large amount of books in fiction and nonfiction, and both adult and juvenile

Authority
H. W. Wilson

Scope
Contains book reviews from the United States, Canada, and Great Britain.

Format
In print monthly and accumulated annually and online updated daily.

Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by author and include price, publisher and other bibliographic information.

Entries
Provide a short description of the book.  Also provides citations and each citation includes the name of the periodical, page and date of review.

Special Features
Online version has a library holding indicator which tells the user if it is available at their library.


Use and Overall Evaluation
This is an easy way to get some information on books that you might want to read.

The Columbia Granger’s Index to Poetry in Anthologies

           
Citation
Kale, T.. (2007). The Columbia Granger's index to poetry in anthologies. New York: Columbia University Press.

Purpose
Used to identify the author of a poem or the anthologies in which it can be found when only a title, first line, or last line is known.

Authority
Columbia University Press

Scope:
Contains 85,000 classic and contemporary poems by 12,000 poets. Also contains works in Spanish, French, German, and Italian, as well as poetry in Portuguese, Polish, Yiddish, Welsh, Gaelic, and other Celtic languages, as well as poems in the ancient languages

Format
In print and online

Arrangement
Subject headings are organized in a hierarchical structure of related themes and categories.

Entries
The entries give abbreviations to identify the anthology carrying the poem.

Special Features
offers complete coverage of the works of several individual great poets, including the complete poems of Shelley, Blake, Burns, Keats, Marvell, Poe, Unamuno, Heine, Baudelaire, and other major poets.

Use and Overall Evaluation
There is a lot of information to be found, not just in English but in many other languages as well.

Humanities Index


Citation
Humanities index. (1975). [New York]: H.W. Wilson.

Purpose
Bibliographic database that cites articles from English-language periodicals. Periodical coverage includes some of the best-known scholarly journals and numerous lesser-known but important specialized magazines.

Authority
H. W. Wilson

Scope
Indexes over 550 publications.  Covers 1984 to present with over 640,000 records

Format
In print and online

Arrangement
Indexes  articles, book reviews, interviews, obituaries, bibliographies, fiction, and reviews of plays and television and radio programs.

Entries
Contains a bibliographic citation for an article, book review, or other item in a journal.

Use and Overall Evaluation
Very comprehensive index of key humanities publications

Media Review Digest


Citation
Media Review Digest 2006 The Only Complete Guide to Reviews of Non-Print Media : Film and Video, Audio, Cd-Rom, Miscellaneous. (2006). Pierian Pr.

Purpose
To review all types of non-print media.

Authority
Pierian Press

Scope
Provides reviews of films, spoken word cd’s and tapes, globes, charts, educational materials, slides, transparencies, illustrations media kits, and games.

Format
In print and online. Each year this index adds approximately 30,000 reviews, awards, and prizes from over 150 reviewing sources and organizations that present awards. As
of January 2000, updates are made weekly.

Arrangement
Arranged by subject, currency, media format, quality, and audience level


Entries
Provide citations with descriptive notes.


Use and Overall Evaluation
Provides a very extensive database of non print material, definitely a good tool for anyone to use.

Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature


Citation
Readers guide to periodical literature. (1900). New York: H. W. Wilson.

Purpose
Reference guide to recently published articles in periodical magazines and scholarly journals

Authority
H. W. Wilson

Scope
Provides thorough indexing and accurate bibliographic data for 272 popular magazines central to any school, college, or public library collection.

Format
In print and online

Arrangement
Complete subscription information for each magazine indexed, and title enhancement to clarify ambiguous titles

Entries
Listed alphabetically, including author and subject headings

Special Features
More than 1,340,00 records available as well as 85,200 records added annually

Use and Overall Evaluation
I remember using this database in school, it was easy to work with and I was always able to find what I needed