Electronic Sources

A lot information is now available either on the Internet or in databases. Some websites and information can be accessed by anyone with internet access, but others are available only through subscription (which means you have to pay money to have access).

Searching Encyclopedias for Information

Wikipedia and World Book Online are Encyclopedias. Encyclopedias contain many articles on thousands of different topics, so what you are looking for is likely to be there. Encyclopedia articles are good to give you an introduction to your topic and provide you with facts. Encyclopedias also often list related articles or information from other sources to continue your research.

Searching Databases for Information

Databases are updated more frequently than books, so the information they have is often more current. Most databases provide features and media, such as videos, sounds, images, and animations, in addition to text. Databases are designed to make finding information easy.

Databases use keyword search to find information.  A keyword search is a word or two without being a sentence.  For example, if you want to know what slugs eat, you would enter slugs and eat for a keyword search. (not “what do slugs eat?)

If you want to put a series of words that must be together, like World War II, put quotation marks around them like this “World War II”

Where do I search?

NVSD offers many online resources for staff and students to use for information seeking purposes. There are online paid subscription databases which are available to staff and students.

What is Available, and How do I access it?

Encyclopedia

NVSD has a subscription to World Book Online, no login is necessary from within the school.

http://www.worldbookonline.com/?subacct=CD14154

Databases

NVSD subscribes to the  ERAC BC Digital Classroom.  This includes Decouverte, Media Smarts, KnowBC, My Blueprint, Canada in Context, Global Issues in Context, Science in Context, National Geographic Kids, EBSCO, Cengage Learning, NoveList, Consumer Health Complete.

If login credentials are needed for either World Book or the Databases use:

username: sd44user

password: nvsd44