WoK is an integrated platform providing access to:
Web of Knowledge contains citations, abstracts and some full-text articles from many disciplines. It covers journal articles, reviews, letters and conference proceedings. You can also identify the most frequently cited works.
WoK databases are available both on- and off-campus. To search , you will need to use your network username and password.
To access the WoK databases:
Once you are logged in to the interface select which part of the database you wish to search by clicking on one of the three tabs across the top of the search screen: All Databases, Select a Database or Web of Science.
To search All Databases enter your search terms in the boxes provided. You can change which part of the databases you wish to search by using the drop-down menus at the ends of each search box.
You can also limit your search by changing the date in the drop down menu next to Limit to:
Then click on the Search button.
A list of citations matching your search is generated. To find the articles that have been cited the most, select Times cited from the drop-down menu next to Sort by: at the top right of the results list. On the left hand side there are options to refine the results.
To link to the full citation, click on the title of each article. If you wish to return to your results list select Back to results list. Use the arrows at the top of the results list to scroll through the pages.
To search an individual database click on Select
a Database tab and
click on the relevant
database. There are 3 options to search: Search, Cited
Reference Search (only in Web of Science) and Advanced
Search.
Use this function to search for a specific topic, author, journal or address. Enter your search terms in the box provided and change your criteria in the drop down menus at the end of each search box.
You can limit your search by Timespan and if you are using Web of Science
by choosing
specific databases to search.
When ready click on Search. From the results list, select the item title to view the full citation.
This is only available in Web of Science.
Select Cited Reference Search. Enter the author, work and/or year in the search form. Again you can limit your search by Timespan and by choosing specific databases.
Click on Search.
A list of matching authors is created. Select the relevant author(s) you wish to view by ticking the box(es) next to the correct name.
Click on Finish Search.
Articles containing details of your chosen topic will be listed.
To find the articles that have been cited the most select Times cited from the drop-down menu next to Sort by: at the top right of the results list. On the left hand side there are options to refine the results.
To link to the full citation, click on the title of each article. If you wish to return to your results list select Back to results list. Use the arrows at the top of the results list to scroll through the pages.
You can use various search options to create your query.
Most databases only search for the exact word that you enter into the search engine, eg a search for the basic word drug will omit records that use the words drugs or drugged. This means that you could miss out on some important information by specifying the wrong form of the right word. To get around this problem, WoK enables you to search for variant forms of words such as plurals or different word endings by using a special character. This is called a truncation symbol. In WoK the asterisk (*) is the truncation symbol and can be used after the stem of a word, eg entering the word drug* will search for the words drug, drugs, drugging and drugged. This can increase the number of records you retrieve dramatically.
Boolean searching is easy. It allows you to combine words in a search and this enables you to increase or decrease the number of hits. Words entered in different rows allow you to use the OR, AND and NOT operators to be combined in a number of ways.
You can substitute one letter in a word with ? to find different spellings of the same word, eg ioni?ation would find both ionisation and ionization.
WoK provides references to published material and links to external sources where the full text may be found. If you wish to read a complete journal article, click on the Find it! button.
Find it! works by matching your search results against the resources
to which the Library
subscribes. Wherever possible you will get a direct link to the full
text of an article, even if it is held on another database. The Find
it! menu will
sometimes provide you with more than one link to a full-text article,
simply choose the one you prefer.
Some services will require you to log in again using your ID and password. Simply repeat the logging-in process and the full text should be available.
If you wish to save a list of references that you have retrieved from WoK, the service gives the option to print, email, or save your results. In order to do this, select the records you wish to retain by marking them.
To mark a record, click in the check box on the left hand side so that a tick appears in it. To deselect a record click on the box again and the record will no longer be marked.
At the bottom of the page choose the format (ie the amount of information) you want to retain. When you have selected your chosen format you are ready to save, print or email your marked records.
Click on the Print button at the bottom of the screen. A printer friendly version of the records will then appear allowing you to print in the usual way. Click on Back to Results to return to your results.
To save marked records, click on the Save button and respond appropriately when the service asks you if you want to save. Then select a destination drive and folder where you wish to save your records and specify an appropriate filename
To email records enter a valid email address into the E-mail records to field and any notes if required, and then click on the Send E-mail button. A confirmation message appears on the screen, so you know that the e-mail has been sent and you can return to your results from here.
Help is available at any time by clicking on the Help link at the top right of the screen
For more information regarding WoK databases in your subject area, please contact your site library.
HW October 2008