This service will help you decide which of the UCSD Libraries' 25+ science databases to use to locate the articles and other materials you need. For assistance with non-science databases, try Database Advisor for the Social Sciences and Humanities. Please note that many of these databases have license restrictions.

Enter the terms you would like to search for:

SEARCH HELP

Database Advisor (DBA) will take the terms you specify and automatically perform a keyword search in over 25 different databases. Your results indicate the number of hits that would be found in each one, ranked from the most to least hits. You can then link directly to the database of your choice to perform your search. Here are some tips to help you use Database Advisor most effectively:

Tip DO DON'T Keep it simple limit to one or two main concepts don't use multiple synonyms; use only one word for each concept. bridge corrosion bridge corrosion rust acid rain precipitation Boolean searches Do not use AND, OR, or NOT. AND is implied between each word. aspirin headache (aspirin OR ASA) AND (headache OR migraine)

The following are not available in Database Advisor, but may be available in one or more individual databases when searched directly:

author searching

phrase searching / word adjacency

single letters and special characters - e.g.,

wild card characters / truncation symbols - e.g., * ? #

case sensitivity - e.g., MIT vs mit

For more help
For personalized help with science database searching, contact the reference desk of the library you use most.

Biomedical Library: 534-1201

Medical Center Library: 543-6520

Science & Engineering Library: 534-3258

Scripps Institution of Oceanography Library: 534-4817

For assistance with non-science databases, try Database Advisor for the Social Sciences and Humanities. Technical details about DBA's search strategies are available. For technical difficulties, please contact techies@scilib.ucsd.edu For comments, suggestions, and questions, mail scilib@ucsd.edu

License Restrictions on Electronic Resources

Electronic resources available through the UCSD Libraries are licensed by the University for non-commercial use by UCSD faculty, staff, students and on-site users, for educational or research purposes only. The terms and conditions of UCSD's agreements with the vendors and publishers of these electronic resources regulate your use of these resources. These conditions include but are not limited to restrictions on copying, republishing, altering, redistributing and reselling the information contained therein.

For detailed terms and conditions governing your use of a particular electronic resource, please read the appropriate agreement governing that resource, available at http://libnet.ucsd.edu/licenses/