EbscoHost

This week’s assignment is easy for me. We often use Ebsco when working with students on research topics. In my experience (limited, I’m new a reference librarianship) the difficult part is knowing which database to use or perhaps a book would be better. So I tried out the request for info about zinc in foods. As I expected, a search for food- zinc content using Academic Search Complete and anything that was medical related, turned up 112 results. BUT these were scholarly articles such as “Heterosis studies for grain iron and zinc content in rice”…very specific high level research, but not simply a list of foods that contain zinc. So when talking with a student, I would need to know exactly what they were after, a list or perhaps some very specific research. That would make a big difference.

In order to find a list of foods that contain zinc, I searched for an ebook. Using Ebsco b books, I again tried my food- zinc content and came up with books such as “Prescription Alternatives” and “Smart Guide to Healing Foods”. Both listed food contents.

I tried another search for an actual topic a student asked me for, an ancient Greek sculpture in Samothrace of Nike. Ebsco turned up “Literature and the Visual Arts in Ancient Greece and Rome.” But I also went to Credo reference, where I found lots more info and photos. It is definitely useful to search all text sometimes rather than subject or keyword. When doing reference at SMCC, the questions run the gamut from art and literature, esp criticism or reviews, to global politics. Some topics are easier than others but again, it takes experience to know which database to try first. And often, they are required to cite a book, so ebooks have been a blessing.