Internet Resources: March 2019 Edition

Selected reviews of digital reference resources from the March issue of Choice.

Posted on March 7, 2019 in Internet Resources

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ATLA Religion Database. EBSCO. Contact publisher for pricing.
ebsco.com/products/research-databases/atla-religion-database

[Visited Dec’18] “The ATLA Religion Database is the premier resource for libraries supporting serious research in religion and theology,” wrote Christina Cicchetti for ccAdvisor, “and is also an important resource for philosophy.” No other resource of its kind rivals this database. It has been the standard since 1949 when it began as the print indexes Religion Index One, Religion Index Two, and Index to Book Reviews in Religion. Retrospective indexing has added content dating to the 19th century. Included are articles, books, essays from multiauthor works, and book reviews. Each essay is indexed individually. Search results turn up examples of multimedia formats, including videos and internet archives. Scholars in the fields of religion, theology, and philosophy will benefit. Approximately 930 journal titles are indexed currently. Additional journal titles are indexed historically and/or selectively. Some indexing is highly selective. The journal Adolescence is found in the title list, but only two articles from this journal are found in the database. This is an example of how wide-ranging entries are in trying to include all scholarly, relevant content, since most articles from Adolescence would be outside the scope of this database. The scope was recently enhanced with the integration of ATLA Catholic Periodical and Literature Index. “The integration added about 500,000 records and enables unified searching across all Christian denominations,” Cicchetti wrote. To read the full review, go to www.ccadvisor.org. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty. —J. Stoehr, CHOICE

Chicago Manual of Style Online (CMOS). Chicago Contact publisher for pricing.
chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html

[Visited Dec’18] “The Chicago Manual is one the most widely adopted style manuals in North America,” wrote Kyle D. Winward for ccAdvisor. It is used in high schools, academic institutions, and trade presses. CMOS Online (CMOSO) includes the current edition print manual, the immediate previous edition, plus a users’ forum. It is available by subscription for individuals, small groups, and a diversity of sizes and types of organizations. The manual’s origins can be traced back to the late 19th century at the University of Chicago Press, when compositors compiled a style sheet of rules for proofreaders. In 1906, the pamphlet evolved into the first book; in 2006, the first online manual was produced. An advisory board was first formed in 2003. It is updated every seven to 10 years. CMOSO is web-based and does not require installation or special software. However, JavaScript and cookies must be enabled for users to access secure content. Windows 7 or Mac OS 10.6 or higher are recommended for desktop and laptop compatibility. Apple iOS 6 or Android OS 4 or higher are recommended for mobile devices. All major browsers are supported. The CMOS website benefits from wide-ranging documentation, for end users both and site administrators. “There are no provisions for archive access or interlibrary loan,” Winward wrote. “There are no limits on the number of simultaneous users for institutional subscriptions.” To read the full review, go to www.ccadvisor.org. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. —J. Stoehr, CHOICE

Churchill Archive. Bloomsbury Contact publisher for pricing.
churchillarchive.com

[Visited Dec’18] “The Churchill Archive is intended for researchers interested in the life, times, and impact of Winston Churchill,” wrote Amanda Izenstark for ccAdvisor, “but it will also benefit those studying the history of Western Europe and the world from the late 19th to the middle of the 20th century.” The database has materials from the British leader’s personal collection, including some from 1690 originating from Churchill’s ancestors. These include a poem about the loss of a beloved dog and selections from the diary of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough. Later materials cover communications related to major issues of Churchill’s life and service in government, alongside personal materials. The most recent materials—from 1965—include typed and handwritten letters on political and personal matters to a variety of correspondents. The Churchill Archive also provides materials to supplement teaching and support research, including essays, PowerPoint slides, and lesson plans. By nature, the Churchill Archive is a limited set of materials, but what it does not provide in breadth, it provides in depth. After a user has initially explored the site, it becomes easy to navigate and use, and because the materials are varied, it is engaging to explore. This reviewer experienced no issues with the stability of the platform, and performance was consistent. “Results appeared quickly and were easy to navigate,” Izenstark wrote. To read the full review, go to www.ccadvisor.org. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty. —J. Stoehr, CHOICE

Web of Science. Clarivate Analytics. Contact publisher for pricing.
clarivate.com/products/web-of-science

[Visited Dec’18] “The Web of Science Core Collection is the premier product of the Web of Science platform,” Jane C. Duffy wrote for ccAdvisor. It boasts of over 69 million records, over 10 million conference papers, and over 90,000 books. Its scope is the broadest of subscription-based citation databases, with high-impact content ranging widely in subject from Arts and Humanities to Physical Sciences and Technology. With the majority of their cited references (over 1 billion) from the time period 1900 to the present, all collections are searchable within 22 fields of research and are offered within a 10-year rolling file framework updated every two months. The “Highly Cited Paper” feature identifies the top 1 percent of papers by field and publication year. Customized data citation reports are possible with an additional subscription to Clarivate’s InCites research evaluation product. Full cited reference indexing is available for all publications and for all authors. Authors are linked via controlled indexing to their institutional addresses dating 2008–forward; all institutions are indexed and searchable. Additional features include searchability by funding source and by titles of cited references. Open access for the Web of Science collection indicators have been expanded, and it is now possible to search trusted, full-text content, i.e., Gold, Green Published, and Green Accepted open access articles through this product. Search results include content that is not currently being subscribed to by the searcher’s institution. “Enhanced sort options facilitate sorting by most commonly used access points or features,” Duffy wrote. To read the full review, go to www.ccadvisor.org. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty. —J. Stoehr, CHOICE

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