using aarp’s ageline database “ gateway to aging literature ” michael d. melinchok, phd...
TRANSCRIPT
Using AARP’s AgeLine Database
“Gateway to Aging Literature”www.aarp.org/ageline
Michael D. Melinchok, PhD
Senior Editor, AgeLine Database
AARP Research Information Center
What is the AgeLine Database?
• AgeLine is a free, searchable online database.
• AgeLine provides summaries of aging-related journal articles, books, research reports, dissertations, videos, and consumer guides. Links to full text are provided when available.
• AgeLine covers social gerontology and aging-related research from:o psychology, sociology, social worko public policy, economicso health sciences
What’s in AgeLine?
• AgeLine covers a broad range of topics:o health and health careo work, retirement, and financial issueso caregiving and long-term careo family and community livingo much, much more
• AgeLine focuses on research and policy, but also includes practical content for service providers, health professionals, social workers, and older adults and their families.
What’s in AgeLine?
• AgeLine is produced by AARP’s Research Information Center (library) as part of AARP’s mission to be the leading provider of information on the 50+ population.
• AgeLine content comes from hundreds of publishers and organizations worldwide, including AARP.
• AgeLine can be used for term papers, literature reviews, research studies, presentations, and fact finding – or for practical information about life at 50+
Finding AgeLine
• AgeLine can be found on AARP’s web site or on many college and university web sites.
• Ageline is always free to users.
• Librarians: link to www.aarp.org/ageline or subscribe through CSA, Dialog, EBSCOHost, Ovid, or SilverPlatter.
• Questions about AgeLine access? E-mail us at [email protected].
Ageline home page on AARP.org
A number of useful features are included on the AgeLine home page at www.aarp.org/ageline:
o “AgeLine to Go”– 200+ topical searches
o Thesaurus of Aging Terminology – PDF
o “AgeLine Toolbox” – articles, research tools
o Links to AARP’s Research & Policy web site and other AARP research databases
o AgeLine e-newsletter sign-up (free)
AgeLine in the classroom
• One-stop research tool for papers and presentations
• “AgeLine To Go” feature ideal for introductory
courses – recent references packaged by
topic for easy browsing
• Annotated bibliographies quick and easy to create
• Suggested assignment: Search in AgeLine for a specific book or article, then find other sources on the same topic by searching on similar key words
Devising and refining an AgeLine search
• What is the Topic you wish to search?
• Come up with one or more Keywords.
• Review results of your search – is this what you want?
• Revise the search to make it broader or narrower.
• Mark records to sort, save, or send to others.
• Save your results on disk or hard copy.
Let’s take a tour of AgeLine
• The following slides provide a demonstration of the AgeLine database.
• Starting from the AgeLine home page, the demo will take you through the search menu, a basic search on retirement attitudes, and an advanced subject search of research on the retirement attitudes of Hispanics.
• The demo will conclude with a look at the “Research To Go” feature, highlighting recent research on Medicare prescription drug coverage.
Benefits of using AgeLine
• Did we mention that it is free? No log-ins, passwords
• Can’t “Google” everything—general search engine results too broad and miss the “invisible web”
• Covers the full spectrum of social gerontology and aging research—interdisciplinary focus (unlike ERIC, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, etc.)
• Original, hand-crafted abstracts create value (users may not need to look at the full article)
• Thorough indexing using the Thesaurus of Aging Terminology (8th edition, 2005)
