Sociology 120 - Caregiving and Stress

SOCIOLOGY 120
Library Assignment - Caregiving and Stress

MLA Style Manual. Prescott College, The Library. This site provides a quick reference for Modern Language Association (MLA) style for documenting sources. http://library.prescott.edu/mla.html

Being a caregiver for a disabled spouse or loved one can cause considerable stress.

Use the Coastline Virtual Library (http://library.ccc.cccd.edu) to find and review a minimum of five (5) articles that discuss ways to mitigate the difficulties of care giving on the caregiver.

EBSCO PROQUEST TARGETS

The articles should deal with specific techniques, practices, activities, or caregiver support groups that have been shown to help caregivers increase their coping skills. In your review of the articles, evaluate the methods used to test the usefulness of the recommendations, and discuss any questions that the articles may have stimulated.

You may use the following suggested approaches to beginning your search.

You will notice that the search terms for each resource are different. That is because a librarian did not create the indexes and topic designations; each vendor has organized the entries according to its assumptions about the database’s users. There is no consistency or agreement between the vendors as to what vocabulary they will use in creating subject headings.

Thus, when you are searching for information regarding issues of the elderly and their caregivers, you have to be creative, flexible, and patient in finding the best words to use to get the best results. You’ll want to start out with a list of synonyms and add to it as you encounter useful terms. Some synonyms for elderly people are older people, aged, old age, elder, senior, and so on.

Usually a subject search, as opposed to a keyword search, is your best bet for getting the most relevant and useful results. But finding the right subject words can be a real challenge. Fortunately, most of the databases have some form of subject tool (although it may be called "descriptor," "topic search," "browse," etc.

Go to the library list of subscription databases, and select "Academic Search Elite." The username is s6222955 and the password is password. Once in the Home Page click on Research and Information resources. This will take you to the Online Subscription Databases where you will find "Academic Search Elite"

The product defaults to a "Basic Search," but you are going to do a "Advanced Search." Click on the "Advanced Search" tab in the green bar near the top of the page.

Use the image above to guide you in creating your query, your search instructions that the program will use to find appropriate articles. The top arrow points to the downward arrow in the field box. By clicking here, you will get a drop down menu that lists the fields in the database that can be searched. For this query, select "Subject" for the first and second terms.

The arrow in the middle of the page points to "Also search for related words." You may click here if you are uncertain which term to. Note: the system is set to default to always search for full text articles. This option must be unclicked if you wish to also obtain citations for articles that are not available in electronic format.

When you are done creating your query (all of the instructions to the program), click on submit.

When you are done with Academic Search Elite, return to the library list of subscription databases, and select ProQuest. The username is 000YGHP6XG and the password is WELCOME.

ProQuest also defaults to a "Basic Search," but you are going to do a "Guided Search." Click on the "Search Methods" tab in the horizontal menu bar near the top of the page. The drop down menu will give you several options; select "Guided Search."

The first arrow on the right points to a field search box that is similar to the one in the Academic Search Elite, but when you click on it you will notice that you can search many more fields.

The first arrow on the left points to the Boolean Operators (AND, OR, AND NOT) that help you create a more focused query.

The second arrow on the right indicates where you can limit or expand your search by selecting what type of publication you wish to find. This is really great when your instructor wants to you to find a newspaper article!

The second arrow on the left indicates additional search options. Always check full text.

Use the example above to create your query and then click on "Search."

Note: "Topic Finder" and "Browse Lists" are subject heading search tools.

When you are done with ProQuest, return to the library lists of subscription databases, and select SIRS Researcher. The username is CA42625H and the password is 92708.

SIRS also defaults to a basic search, but this time things are a little different. SIRS defaults to its "Quick Search" option that just happens to be a "Subject Headings" search! Fortunately, the vendor has put a "Browse Subject Headings" right below the options tabs, so it is easier to determine what terms this vendor is using for subject headings.

You can approach this search two different ways:

Try both to see how the results differ. After reviewing the results from these two searches, you may wish to explore the "Advanced Search" option (SIRS version of a guided search).

Coastline has a small collection of electronic books. If you would like to explore this resource, return to the library subscription database list, and select "netLibrary."

When you get to the default screen, you may begin a search, or you may take a minute to create your own personalized account – under the membership of the Coastline Virtual Library.

When you are ready to search, select the "Advanced Search" tab (netLibrary’s version of the guided search). Use the examples below to create your queries.

Note: the asterisk notifies the program that you want to find everything in the specified field that begins with that string of letters: caregivers, caregiving, caregiver, cares, cared, and so on).