Library -- Guide to MLA International (SilverPlatter version)

MLA International Bibliography

MLA International Bibliography indexes journals, books/book chapters, dissertations, and other formats on the subjects of literature, language, linguistics, and folklore in all languages. Topics covered include literary theory, genres and themes, film, myth, poetry, sign language, computer-programming languages. From the Ely Library Home page (http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/) click on Quick Links to Databases. This link will search records from 1963 to the present.
Continue through the Guide or Start Searching.

To search a smaller file or more than one database at a time, click on the Databases button on the navigation bar to your right. On the Database Selection Page, click in any of the boxes next to the databases you would like to search, then click Open Selected Databases. .

**Page Contents**
To Construct a Search	Results Page:	To Mark Records	To Change Display Options
Valid Search Statements		To Print Records	To Identify Document Types
Combining Previous Searches		To Email Records
Limit Fields		To Save to Disk	If You Are Timed Out
Using the Index (recommended)	Using the Thesaurus		Help

Continue through the Guide or Start Searching.

Basic Search Guide

To Construct a Search:

Select one or more fields in which to search, or leave the selection as the default, "Words Anywhere". Searching by Title, Author, and Subject are available from this search screen.
Select the language of records you would like to retrieve.
If desired, further narrow your search by using the Limit Your Search option. Fields will be specific to MLA International Bibliography.
Type a word or phrase in the text entry area.
Click Start Search. WebSPIRS performs the search and indicates how many records it finds.
To interrupt a search at any time, hit the Escape key on your keyboard.

Example of the Basic Search Screen:

Valid Search Statements

Below are the types of searches you can create in the Search page. You can also use the Search Builder to identify specific fields for your terms (Author, Title, Journal Name, etc.).

A search like this:	Finds records containing:
housing	the word "housing" in any field
poverty AND housing	both terms in the same record in any field
stratification OR inequality	either or both terms in any field
urban NEAR poverty	"urban" and "poverty" appear in the same sentence
black ADJ power	the phrase "black power" in that order in any field
child* (truncation)	child, children, childless, and so on
wom?n (wildcard)	woman or women
Tienda in au	Tienda in the author field (au)
#3	a previous search request

Combining Previous Searches:

You will have the option to combine previous searches in this system. To do so,

Click on the right hand button, Searches, to see your Search History for a complete list of previous searches.
Click the box beside the searches you want combined. Select "AND" or "OR". Click Combine Checked. Keep in mind that any searches with a small number of results will come out even smaller (often "0") when combined using "AND".
If you want to revise a previous search without typing it over, check it and click on Re-type Checked.

Example of Search History Page:

To Limit Your Search

Limit your search in the following areas by clicking the Limit Search button on the main search screen. You can also apply certain limits when you type your search request in the Find field on the Search page (see below).

PT - Publication Type You can use the Publication Type field to limit your search to journal articles, books, book chapters, etc.
LA - Language (This is easiest to do from the basic search screen)
PY - Publication Year [This can be entered as: PY=xxxx; PY>xxxx; or PY<xxxx (where xxxx stands for any year).]

**Typing Limit Fields in Your Search**
How To Find...	Search Statement
...records for journal articles on naturalism:	naturalism AND PT=journal-article
...records for book chapters on comedy:	comedy AND book-article in PT
...everything on realism EXCEPT dissertations:	realism NOT PT=dissertation-abstract
...materials on celtic literature published after 1994	celtic literature AND py>1994

NOTE: Both Upper or Lower case will work. ALSO: For Publication Type, use the text equivalent which indicates the kind of document indexed.

**Document Types**
For tips, see Typing Limit Fields in Your Search
pt=journal-article	pt=book	pt=book-collection	pt=dissertation-astract
pt=journal	pt=book-article	pt=article (Caution: This will retrieve both book and journal articles.)
For a complete list of Document Types, click the Limit Search button on the main search screen.

Using the Thesaurus

Searching in the Thesaurus:
Use the online thesaurus to select a list of terms for your search. Type a term or phrase in the main search box.
The MLA Thesaurus does NOT INCLUDE authors or titles of works. Use the Index for these.
The thesaurus is particularly useful for Genres and Time Periods.

Click on the Thesaurus button on the bar to the right of your search screen.
The Thesaurus Subject List will be displayed with terms from the thesaurus that include your first word.
You may select more than one term from this list to search or you can see details for a particular term by clicking on it. These details may include a Scope Note (definition), More Specific(narrower), More General (broader), and/or Related terms.
To search the term you have selected, click on search subject at the top of your screen.
To select a different search term from the thesaurus, click on it, then click on search subject at the top of your screen.
A results list from your selected thesaurus terms will be retrieved.

Example of a Thesaurus Subject List:

Using the Index

The Index feature allows you to find out if a word or name is in the database, and if so, how to spell it correctly. This is a good way to locate an author's name, or to find topics covered in the database.

Type your word in the search box.
Click on the Index button on the right-hand bar of your screen.
Following your word when it appears in the list will be a number in parentheses. This represents the number of records containing that term.
Bring it to the Search screen by clicking on the term, or select several words from the list by clicking the box beside those you want to check. Click on Search Checked Terms.

You may also enter another term and search it in the index by clicking on Go to Term.

Back to Construct a Search.

Results Page

The Results page allows you to mark, print, save, and mail the records retrieved by the current search. In this database, terms of certain fields are linked. If you click on a linked Descriptor, WebSPIRS searches for the term. Return to Searches to combine the new descriptor with any other search terms used previously.

To mark records:

Click in the box next to the record number, such as Record 1 of 235, for any record that you want to mark.
To show only records you have marked, click Show Marked Records (right-hand bar of screen). WebSPIRS displays your marked records.

To print MLA International Bibliography records: After marking records of interest, click the Print button above the citation screen. WebSPIRS displays the Print Records page, which allows you to select and format records for printing. Click Print Records at the top right of your screen. A print box will come up. Click OK to print records you have marked. Note: You will not see what you are printing--but it will be from your search. You will be prompted to clear marked records after printing.

To save records: Click the Save button in the citation screen. WebSPIRS displays the Save Records page, which allows you to select and format records for saving to a disk. Insert a formatted disk in the floppy drive. Click on Save Records, enter a name for your file, and click on Save. You will be prompted to clear marked records after saving.

To mail records: Click E-mail. WebSPIRS displays the Mail Records page, which allows you to select and format records to mail to an e-mail address. Be sure to include your full address: username@foma.wsc.ma.edu. Click on the Close button after mailing. You will be prompted to clear marked records after e-mailing. Display Options:

To change display options, click Change Display button under the search box or at the top of your results screen.
Select how field names are displayed, how records are sorted, and which fields are displayed.
At the top of your screen, click on Confirm Changes.
Any changes you make will remain in effect until you log off the system, or change them again.

Document Types and Descriptors:

To quickly determine what type of document you are looking at, find the DT field in any record.
For subjects you might find helpful to use in another search, look for the MJ (Major Descriptor) or MN (Minor Descriptor) fields.

Help

If You Are Timed Out:

A message Please Select Another Database will pop up. Click on OK.
The Select Databases screen will load. Chose your database and begin searching.

To search more than one database at a time, click on the Databases button on the navigation bar to your right. On the Database Selection Page, click in any of the boxes next to the databases you would like to search, then click Open Selected Databases.
For online help once logged into MLA International Bibliography, click on the HELP button on the right-hand bar on your MLA screen. There you will find information about the specific task you are performing, as well as links to Help Contents.
Help is also available at the Reference Desk.

Please Log Out when you are finished with your search

Page maintained by Corinne Ebbs

Last updated August 30, 2001