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Online Catalog: Getting Started

Using the online catalog - Search All Resources

Begin Your Research from the Library Home Page or the Research Page

To download eBooks in EBSCO or ProQuest you will need to create your personal EBSCO or ProQuest account, and you will need free Adobe Digital Editions Software.

Video 2 min. 51 sec.

Google Scholar, ChatGPT, Library Ressearch Webinar 2/23/24

Focusing Search Results

Important search terms help focus your search results.

Basic Search can include a word, or a phrase enclosed in quotation marks. It searches keywords. If you use a phrase without quotation marks the results will include any of the words.

Advanced Search can include words or phrases combined with AND, OR, or NOT.

Keyword searches words in the author's name, the title, or the descriptors of the article or book. 

Subject searches concepts or ideas.

Journal Source is the title of a journal.

Full Text is important if you need immediate access to the article. If you can wait a day or a few days for access, you can request an ILL for an article that is not available in full text. NOTE: many publications have 12-18-month embargos on full text. Limiting to full text may exclude the most recent research.

Scholarly or Peer-Reviewed indicates the article has been reviewed by people who are considered experts in the subject. Denver Seminary research papers require scholarly or peer-reviewed articles.

Publication Year is important when you need the most recent scholarship. Sometimes you need to trace the scholarship on a topic over a number of years.

When you receive too many results use the Subject limit in the left column to identify the most relevant resources. This is not available after you limit to articles.

When you do not receive enough results you can search for variations of a word by using type the first three or more letters of a word followed by an asterisk (*). That returns all words that begin with those letters.

How do you know if a book is scholarly? Look at the publisher, look at the credentials of the author, look at reviews of the book in scholarly journals, and look at the citations and bibliography.

 

What is included in Search All Resources?

  • All print books in the Denver campus library and the DC campus library
  • All eBooks including the Digital Theological Library (DTL), OverDrive, and EBSCO
  • Many articles in EBSCO and the DTL. Not all journals are indexed at the article level in this search. See Locating and Using Articles for searching specific databases to return the most comprehensive results.

 

What can you do from this page?

  • Locate your print Course Reserves. For your Library eReserves click on the Library eReserves link in your Moodle course site. 
  • Enter a search word or phrase in the basic search bar. Enclosing a phrase with quotation marks (") returns results with those words in that order. If you do not use quotation marks (") around a phrase you will receive results that include any word in the phrase.
  • Log into your library account to save lists or searches, see the print items you have checked out, put print items on hold, and renew print items. Print items can be renewed one time.
  • Choose Advanced Search to enter specific search terms.

 

What terms can I use in an Advanced Search?

  • If you know an author or title choose those terms from the Search Index and enter them in the Search Term box(es).
  • If you need articles from a specific journal choose Journal Source or Journal Source Phrase and enter the journal title in the Search Term box.
  • Keyword is a broader search including authors' names, titles, and descriptors.
  • Subject is focused on the main topic(s).

What may be included in the results of a search?

  • Books
  • Articles
  • Chapters
  • Dissertations and theses

 

How do I access physical Course Reserves?

  • When you choose Course Reserves enter your Course Code or Name, or scroll down the Course Reserves page.
  • Click on your course to open the list of reserves.
  • These books and DVDs are kept behind the circulation desk in the library; ask for them by call number.
  • You may check out up to 2 physical reserves for up to 2 hours at a time.