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Built Environment: First-Year Information Literacy Program: 2️⃣ EBSCOhost

The Built Environment: First-Year Information Literacy Program LibGuide is designed to equip first-year students in architecture, urban planning, construction management, and related disciplines with essential information literacy skills.

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📚 EBSCOhost: A Collection of Useful Databases

What is EBSCOhost?
🔹 A powerful research platform that provides access to multiple academic databases.
🔹 Includes Academic Search Premier, Business Source Complete, GreenFILE, and more.
🔹 Great for finding journal articles, books, and reports in the Built Environment field.

1️⃣ Accessing EBSCOhost

🔹 Step 1: Go to the Wits Library website.
🔹 Step 2: Click "Databases A-Z" and find EBSCOhost.
🔹 Step 3: Log in using your Wits student credentials.
🔹 Step 4: Choose a specific database (e.g., Academic Search Premier).

💡 Tip: Selecting multiple databases broadens your search results.

3️⃣ Refining Your Search Results

🔹 Step 1: Use the filters on the left panel to refine your results:

  • Full Text – Show only articles with downloadable PDFs. 📄
  • Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals – Limit results to academic sources. 🎓
  • Publication Date – Choose the most recent research.

🔹 Step 2: Click on an article title to view its abstract and citation details.

5️⃣ Saving & Exporting References

🔹 Step 1: Click "Cite" to generate citations in different styles.
🔹 Step 2: Click "Export" to save references in EndNote, Mendeley, or Zotero.

Creating Journal Alerts on EBSCO

2️⃣ Conducting a Search in EBSCOhost

🔹 Step 1: Enter your keywords in the search bar.

  • Example: "Smart cities AND sustainable infrastructure"
    🔹 Step 2: Use Boolean operators:
  • AND – Narrows search (e.g., "urban planning AND climate change")
  • OR – Expands search (e.g., "sustainable design OR green architecture")
  • NOT – Excludes words (e.g., "construction NOT historical")
    🔹 Step 3: Click Search.

💡 Tip: Use the Advanced Search option for more filters.

4️⃣ Accessing Full-Text Articles

🔹 Step 1: Click “PDF Full Text” or “Find It @ Wits” for access.
 

Basic Search on EBSCO