If you are a student enrolled in Distance Learning programs and classes, you will need to spend some time in this section of the Library’s site. You’ll want to take advantage of the research tools and resources available to make the most of your education.

As a distance-learning student you have the following online research resources available:
 
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EBSCOHost Full-text Periodical online database.  Please note that you may use the EBSCOHost Full-text Periodical online database, but because of subscription restrictions, the other databases listed under Online Databases are restricted to on-campus computers and cannot be accessed off campus.  EBSCOHost can be accessed off-campus by TSTC Waco employees; students can have off-campus access after the 12th-day class census requirement is met each semester. 

Off-campus library patrons wanting to use EBSCOHost must first call the library at (254) 867-4846 to be put on a user roster.  You will need to provide your name and ID number as it appears on your TSTC ID card.

The EBSCOHost database provides full text coverage for over 10,750 journals, abstracts in over 7,800 periodicals, indexing for over 5,000 periodicals, and also includes full text coverage for 23 national and international newspapers, selected full text coverage for more than 200 regional U.S. newspapers, and over 1,200 pamphlets in full text. The social sciences, humanities, general science, food sciences and nutrition, computer sciences, engineering, education, multi-cultural studies, business, management, economics, medical sciences and health care, religion and philosophy are among the subjects covered by the database.

When you need to do research for your classes, you may access the EBSCOHost Online Database here.

On the Choose Databases screen, you may select the databases you want to search by clicking on the box beside the databases. By default, Academic Search Premier is already checked since it has full text coverage for more than 7,000 publications in almost every area of academic study. After you select the databases click on Continue to enter the main search screen.

FOR A SUBJECT SEARCH:

Enter your search words in the box beside the word Find.

For full text articles, click on the box beside Full Text. You may also set additional limiters or expanders.

Next, click on Search.  This will bring you to a result list. To display summaries of the articles, click Preferences, then click the Detailed format and then click Apply.

Articles may be in HTML Full Text, PDF Full Text, or in both Full Text formats. Whenever possible, the PDF Full Text format will be the one you want to use because, since it is a picture of the actual pages of the articles, the page numbers are also available for footnoting purposes. The HTML Full Text articles contain the information of the articles, but without the specific page numbers.

You may place articles in a session memory folder by clicking on the word Add under the folder icon to the right of the result list. You may place several articles in the Folder. To view the articles, click on the words View Folder on the top right of the screen to take you to the Folders Contents screen; you may print, email, or save to disk the articles you want to use.

Click on Print to go to the Print Manager screen; click on the online help link on the Print Manager screen for detailed information on how to print PDF Full Text articles.

Click on the word Exit at the top right of the screen to end your session in EBSCOHost.

TO VIEW THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF A JOURNAL:

On the Choose Databases screen, click on Title List under the database you are selecting to search.

A list of journals in that database will be displayed. You may browse the list alphabetically, by subject, by subject and description, or by matching search words.

If you know the name of the journal you may enter its name in the box after the words Browse Publications and then click Browse; the information on the requested journal will be displayed if the journal is in that database. If you find the journal through the alphabetical search, click on the journal title.

On the screen that displays information on the journal, you will find the years that are available for searching. Click on the year in which you are interested to see which issues are available.

Click on the issue you want to read to bring up the table of contents for that issue. You may then click on any of the articles that you want to read.

Please remember that you may click on the word Help at the top of the screens for any online help.