Finding Information
One of the major benefits of History Resource Center: U.S. is that it gives its users integrated access to many different types of information. The database can be searched through six main paths.
Search Results come back organized according to data type and extensively cross-referenced, allowing users to conduct research in a very natural, associative manner.
By Person
When searching the database by person, users can specify name, profession, nationality, ethnicity, dates of birth, birthplace, and gender. The database returns a preliminary results screen showing all individuals who match the submitted search criterion.
By Subject
With a Subject Search, the user enters a brief term or phrase to retrieve a comprehensive list of matching terms. Results include associated “Broad Terms,” “Narrow Terms” or “Related Subjects.”
Basic Search
A Basic Search is the default search mode, but the basic search screen offers quick, single-click access to the other searching modes. With a basic search, users may look for individual words and phrases.
Advanced Search
An Advanced Search combines the functionality of keyword and subject searching with several other capabilities. Users are able to specify Title/Headline, Source, Publication Dates, Author and Document Type. An advanced search is an excellent way to go directly to specific information in the database.
Chronology Search
With History Resource Center: U.S.' unique Chronology Search tool, users slide a pointer along a visual timeline to select a particular predefined period in U.S. history. As different time periods are selected, two sets of links appear below the timeline, reflecting that period both in U.S. and world history.
Search Results
Search results come back organized according to the following data types: Reference Materials, Periodicals, Primary Sources and Maps & Multimedia. The tabs allow the different data types to be viewed from a single results screen.
Saving Search Results
History Resource Center: U.S. allows graduate assistants and professors (as well as students) to “InfoMark” items, a feature that appeals particularly to institutions supporting distance education programs. Students are then able to access these “InfoMarked” items remotely. Additionally, users may e-mail search results to themselves or others and save results to diskette, hard drive or format for printing. |
