Guide to Information Seeking: Information resources

There are different types of databases:

• Full text databases have both reference information and full texts. For example in Academic Search Elite the full text of articles can usually be opened as a PDF file and sometimes in your web browser.

• Reference databases have references to articles. The reference information usually includes the title, author, where and when the article was published, and possibly an abstract and subject terms. Reference databases do not necessarily include actual articles in full text, so you will have to find them from somewhere else. Arto database, for example, usually only contains references without links to the articles.
• Citation databases have information on citations between articles: Who have cited articles and how many citations the articles have accumulated over time.

NOTE: Most databases are combinations of the different database types. In a typical database, some of the article full texts are available and others only include the reference information and an abstract.

In most databases you can limit your search to only include full text articles. However, use this option with caution, as interesting articles may be available in other databases acquired for Turku UAS users.

See more information on article search in the Guide to Article Search.

Google helps you find everyday information quickly and easily. However, in academic information seeking Google is not enough:

• Google and other search engines can only find a portion of internet content. The parts of the web that are not indexed by search engines is called the deep web. The deep web includes most of the subscription-based scholarly databases.
• An identical search on Google can produce different results to different people because Google personalises the results based on the user's language, location, and search history.
• Search results that Google provides can change quickly because online content is updated constantly.
• The quality of the information found with Google varies. Anyone can publish anything online, so you need skills to evaluate information sources critically.
• Google sorts the search results according to relevance. Among others, search results are sorted by how popular the website is and the amount of hyperlinks. However, a good source may not always be popular, so it might not necessarily be found on the first pages of the search results.

Academic information seeking skills include skills to identify databases in your field as well as knowing how to search for information systematically.

NOTE: You cannot repeat a Google search and get the same results, because Google interprets your search based on your online behaviour. Even the advanced search in Google should not be used in academic information seeking.

The national Finna.fi service provides bibliographic information on various Finnish cultural and memory organisations' collections.

Turku UAS library uses Finna as a search interface for our own collection, as do many other Finnish libraries, archives, and museums. The collection information of organisation-specific Finna services is collected to the national Finna.fi service, where you can search for information from the collections of all the different libraries, archives, and museums.

Finna.fi service includes collections from organisations using Finna:

• Archives and museums
• Public libraries
• Special libraries
• UAS libraries
• University libraries

NOTE: Finna.fi contains open access electronic resources, not electronic resources licensed by organisations. This is why you should start your search with Turku UAS Finna, which provides access to all the resources acquired for Turku UAS students and staff.

Google Scholar finds open access materials as well as some materials with restricted access. Google Scholar library links enables you to access the full text articles provided by Turku UAS. Please note that Google Scholar does not include all the library databases.

Library links inside Turku UAS network

If you are inside Turku UAS network your search result includes Fulltext - Turku UAS hyperlinks. By clicking the hyperlink you have access to Link resolver service. Via fulltext hyperlink you can access the databases that Turku UAS provides you and read the article.

Activate library links outside Turku UAS network

1. Go to Google Scholar and click symbol on the top left. Open Settings and choose Library links.

2. Search for Turku University of Applied Sciences and save your settings.

3. Your search result includes now full text articles acquired for Turku UAS students and staff. By clicking the link Fulltext - Turku UAS you will be redirected to Link resolver. Click the link to access the database and read the full text article.