How to choose an index

Scenario One: Finding a popular article on a topic

Scenario Two: Finding many articles on a topic (AVERY)

Test yourself

Selecting an index

What does a particular index cover? 

• journals covered?
• years covered?
• subjects covered?

Each index covers different journals and newspapers, although some journals will be covered in more than one index. Many paper indexes cover only one year at a time. Online indexes vary � check the index for the years covered. The subject covered should be evident in the title of the index. If not, check the index introduction.

Finding an index online

There are many indexes that you might use. The more comprehensive your search, the more indexes you will consult. A list of indexes that you might use to find articles in architecture, landscape architecture and interior design is on the UNLV Libraries website at http://www.library.unlv.edu/subjects/architecture_electronic.php.

This list is divided into

• indexes that cover architecture-related journals
• general indexes that cover a wide variety of topics including architecture
• indexes that cover a specific field that is not architecture but might be useful in searches for architectural topics (e.g. Compendex for engineering-related topics).� Choice of an index in this category depends entirely on the subject. The subjects that the indexes cover are indicated in the abstract after the index title. For example, here is the abstract you find next to the index title Compendex: Provides access to citations and abstracts from 4500 journals and 2000 conferences covering all aspects of engineering.� (1970-, updated monthly)

Architecture and general indexes can be used for whatever architectural topic you are researching. Indexes that cover a specific field may be useful, depending on the subject since they are subject-specific.

Advantages and disadvantages of most-used architecture studies indexes

The indexes you will be using most often are: the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, the Art Index, Art Full Text, and Academic Search Elite. It is important to realize that each has advantages and disadvantages that will influence your choice of index.�

Indexes for finding articles:

How do you find articles? If you are just interested in reading an article on current happenings in the profession you can go to the library's current periodical section and browse through the titles. However, if you want to find articles on a topic, the most efficient approach is to use an index. Indexes list articles by topic. Choosing which index to use is your first decision.

Indexes for finding articles	Advantages	Disadvantages
Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals For help go to Searching for scholarly articles	Very comprehensive Architecture/landscape/interiors specific Indexing for over 700 American and international journals	Many journals indexed by the Avery Index are not in the Architecture Studies Library Not full-text
RIBA Online Catalog R I B A = Royal Institute of British Architects	Very comprehensive Architecture/landscape/interiors specific Indexes over 300 periodicals Both books and articles are included	Many journals indexed by the RIBA Index are not in the Architecture Studies Library Not full-text
Art Full Text Index What was once "Art Index" is now encompassed by "Art Full Text"	Art/architecture specific Journals are likely to be in the Architecture Studies Library Some articles full-text Indexing for over 80 architectural journals	Only the most widely-distributed architecture journals are covered
Art Index Retrospective (1929-1984)	Art/architecture specific Wide span of years covered Journals are likely to be in the Architecture Studies Library	Only the most widely-distributed architecture journals are covered Not full-text
Academic Search Premier Index	Full-text Will find materials published outside the architecture mainstream	Only a few of the major architecture journals are covered Most of the articles you find will be from popular magazines, such as Time Magazine
JSTOR	Full-text articles from 80 scholarly journals Includes several architecture journals: Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 1945-[varies] and Journal of the American Society of Architectural Historians 1941-1944 Assemblage Burlington Magazine	Limited to only a few architectural titles

Periodicals owned by the UNLV Libraries in print and/or electronic form (full text online)

Indexes in allied disciplines and full-text indexes top

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       Monday, 17-Dec-2012 10:50:31 PST