The Power of ProSheets—access from within ProQuest Dialog

Quick and easy access to ProSheets while you are searching ProQuest Dialog can enrich your searches and results. Written guides for every database on ProQuest Dialog, ProSheets contain detailed instructions on search techniques for each database’s special features, including file description, subject coverage, date range, update frequency, sources of the data, and origin of the information. ProSheets also provide sample records that show what you can expect to obtain when you perform a search in the database. The most important part of the ProSheet, however, is the Search Options section. Here you see the field labels you can use to focus or narrow your search, as well as examples of how to use them online.

If you are searching for search syntax to narrow your search in order to retrieve conference information, check the ProSheets, now available as part of the ProQuest Dialog interface through the Help files.

Just follow these quick steps:

• Click Help at the top right of the search screen
• Click the plus sign for Search syntax and field code. 
• Link to Common field codes. Links to each ProSheet appear.

Review the module on the ProQuest Dialog Training page under the Support tab.

For example, click BIOSIS Previews to learn how to locate conference information, and the ProSheet opens.  Scroll down to Conference information in the Search Fields table. The ProSheet lists the Field Names, two-letter Field Codes and shows how to search on the fields.  Search for conference titles as CFTI(key words in the conference name), e.g. cfti(diabetes).

DECEMBER 2012

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