GeoRef on the Web
NOTE: There is also a PowerPoint presentation that covers the key points (but not all) of this guide.
Table
of Contents
Database Description
Sample Record
Advanced Search
Quick Search
Command Search
Viewing Search Results
Editing Your Search
Printing/Downloading/Emailing Search Results
Automatically Run Your Search Every Week
Obtaining the Article or Publication Found in Georef
Database Description
GeoRef is the most comprehensive index to the literature of geology and earth sciences. Published by the American Geological Institute, GeoRef covers all aspects of geology from 1693 to the present for North America and 1933 to the present for the rest of the world. Containing over 2.6 million records, GeoRef is the electronic equivalent of the print indexes; Bibliography of North American Geology, Bibliography and Index of Geology Exclusive of North America, Geophysical Abstracts, and Bibliography and Index of Geology. The database indexes journal articles, books, maps, conference papers, reports and theses. It also includes references to all publications of the U.S. Geological Survey. Masters' theses and doctoral dissertations from U.S. and Canadian universities are also covered. To maintain the database, GeoRef editor/indexers regularly review more than 3,500 journals in 40 languages as well as new books, maps, and reports. The database is updated every two weeks. See the GeoRef Factsheet for more details about the database structure.
When you search the GeoRef database, you also search the GeoRef In Process database which includes "records that are, literally, in the process of being indexed prior to their integration in the main GeoRef database. The majority of the records originate from non-English language literature that was not necessarily published recently. GeoRef In Process does NOT contain the most current records and should not be confused with a database of Recent References. When the GeoRef indexers complete the editing and indexing of an In Process record, then the record will appear in the next GeoRef monthly update. In Process records may lack a few fields or contain minimal data in some fields."
HSU Library subscribes to GeoRef through ProQuest/CSA. In addition to the information contained in this guide, you may get help for the CSA version at Help & Support and/or Quick Reference Card.
Note that you may always click on the Help & Support link at the top of each screen to receive help specific to that screen.
Sample Record (Note: links are inactive)
Note that each part or field of the record is identified and you may specify which field you wish to search. Other fields you may see include Accession Number, Availability, Corporate Author, Collection Title, Conference, Editor, Format Covered, Holding Library, ISBN, Latitude & Longitude, Map, Monograph Title, Notes, Organization, Pages, Publisher, Publication Date, Report Number, Sponsor, Summary Language, Target Audience, and Update.
Advanced Search
The Advanced Search is the default in searching Georef. See Help & Support or Quick Reference Card for more information.
Suggested steps to searching are:
- Choose GeoRef from HSU Library's list of databases. The list of databases is found on the HSU Library home page (http://library.humboldt.edu) under Articles and Databases.
If you are using a computer from off-campus, you will be prompted for authentication information. Enter your campus web email login and password. Click "Submit Query" and you should be able to get into CINAHL Plus with Full Text. For more information, consult Off Campus Access to Databases.
The Advanced Search screen appears below:
- Type your search term(s) into the search boxes. Searches are case insensitive so you do not need to use capital letters (upper case). You may use the asterisk (*) as a truncation symbol to cover variations. For example, sediment* would search for any word beginning with the root sediment (sedimentary, sedimentation, sediments, etc). If you need help in developing search terms, you may use the Thesaurus or Indexes links at the bottom of the search screen.
- Choose where you want your search term(s) to appear from the
pulldown menu as seen below:
- Choose the date range you want searched using the
pulldown lists. The default is from the earliest through the present
(1693 - present for North America, 1933 - present for rest of the world). - You may limit your search by clicking on the
boxes. - Choose how much information you want to Show in the search
results list by using the pulldown
menu. - Set the number of results per page by using the
pulldown menu. - Click on the
button to begin your search.
If you enter multiple words into one search box (e.g., fluvial sedimentation) they will be searched for as a phrase.
When you type terms into the same row, they will be searched
using the OR operator. If you wish to combine terms using the
Boolean operators AND, OR, NOT, you may use the 
pulldown menu between the rows OR you may add and,
or, not between the terms in a single search box (e.g., fluvial fan* and
clastic rock*). If you need more information on Boolean operators, see Help
& Support:Boolean Operators or AND,
OR, NOT (Boolean Operators).
Please note: You can add and remove rows from the search form by clicking on the Add Row/Remove Row links.
Choose the Keywords, KW= option if you wish to search the title, abstract, and descriptors simultaneously. The Anywhere option searches the entire record (all fields). If you wish to search a specific field or portion of the record, choose the desired field from the pulldown list.
Quick Search
If you wish to use a simpler form for your search, click on the 
tab at the top of the search form. The following screen will appear:
The Quick Search form is designed for simple searches. Enter search term(s) and/or phrase(s) and, if desired, the Boolean operators and, or, not. Note that you cannot choose where the search terms appear or limit your results to English language, journal articles, etc. as you can when using the Advanced Search screen.
Command Search
If you find the Advanced Search screen to be
too limiting, you may use the Command
Search option. To access the Command Search screen, click on the 
tab at the top of the search screen. You may search using Boolean Operators,
a pulldown menu of Field Codes, Wildcard Symbols, and Proximity Search. Command
Search allows you to enter a complete search strategy in the command-line search
box:
After you input your search on the Advanced Search,
Quick Search or Command
Search form, click on the
button. Your search results will appear as seen below. This search was
for information on stream sediment in Humboldt County, California.
If you wish to see the complete record with the abstract and descriptors, click on the View Record link or the article title.
Editing or Revising Your Search
Even the best designed searches don't always give you the results you want
so you may have to edit your search. Simply click on the Edit Search
link at the top of the results screen and your original search will appear.
Your search also appears if you scroll down to the bottom of the screen. You
may edit the terms in the search boxes. If you wish to start over, use the 
button to give you blank search boxes.
If you find a really relevant record such as the one shown below, you may use
the descriptors in that record to design a new search by clicking on the check
boxes before the descriptors of interest and selecting whether you wish to combine
the descriptors using AND or OR. Click on 
and the new search will be performed.
Automatically Run Your Search Every Week
Click on the Alerts link at the top right side of the search screen after doing your search if you wish to have it run automatically every week. OR go to your Search History (link is at the top right side of the screen) and click on the Save as Alert link which follows your search statement. All searches conducted during the current session will be listed on the Search History and you can choose your desired search from the list. Any new results (up to 250 new records) will be sent to you each week. See the Alerts help screen for more information.
Printing/Downloading/Emailing Search Results
Once you have viewed the complete record(s), mark the records you want to keep by clicking on the Mark This Record check box. You may also click on the check boxes before each citation of interest on the list of results. Then click on the Save/Print/Email link and choose which options you want. For more information, see the Save/Print/Email help page.
You may use the new QuikBib option to generate a bibliography of the marked records in the most popular bibliographic styles. For more information, see the QuikBib help page.
Obtaining the Article or Publication Found in GeoRef
The first step is to see if HSU Library owns the title by clicking on
the 
button
near each search result and a link to full text availability of that publication
will appear. Check the HSU
Library Catalog for books, reports, dissertations, and other items that
are not considered to be serial in nature. You should also use the Journal
and Newspaper Finder, a searchable guide to the 15,000 journals, magazines,
newspapers and other serials accessible online (fulltext) as well as to the
13,000 print periodicals & serials in HSU Library. The Journal
and Newspaper Finder has been enhanced with common periodical abbreviations.
You can search an abbreviation, e.g., jacs, and retrieve Journal of
the American Chemical Society.
If you have a full reference to an article that includes at least the year, volume, issue and starting pages of your article, you may use the Citation Linker to locate it if the Journal and Newspaper Finder indicates that the full text of the journal is available in electronic format for the date(s) of interest.
Remember that most government documents prior to 1998 are not listed in the Library Catalog. If you wish to find a government document, consult the guides: Finding Federal Documents and Finding California State Documents. You may also ask a reference librarian for assistance at the Information Desk on the first floor (hours) or outside the Humboldt Room, room 308 (hours).
If the HSU Library does not have the item, you may place an Interlibrary loan
(ILL) request. See Interlibrary
Loan Frequently Asked Questions for more information. Requests may
be placed by logging on to the Interlibrary
Loan System. There are also links to the ILL System from
pages when the HSU Library doesn't have full text. This process can take as
long as TWO WEEKS for books and ONE WEEK for articles so it is a good idea to
begin your research early.
Books available in other CSU libraries may be requested using the CSU Catalog/Pharos Interlibrary Loan Service.