NIFTY* as a Research Tool

*(Nazarene Information Furnished To You)

About this Page: This page was designed to assist MVNC students on how to interpret the messages they receive from our on-line library's computer catalogue. Although it is for Mount Vernon Nazarene College students primarily, much of what will be described can be applied to other on-line catalogues. This page was conceived especially to be a part of the research paper process and is meant to be used in conjunction with ENG 153G.

About Graphics: Throughout this document you will find markers indicating graphics. These illustrate visually the kinds of icons which you should be seeing. However, the reader should know that activating the graphics (or activating the "auto load image" under the OPTIONS menu) will slow down your progress through the page. The graphics are nice, but the description will often be sufficient.

One final suggestion is that while you are working with this document you might want to simultaneously use the NIFTY database so that you can experiment with each function described. This duel activity can be done while either in Windows on a PC or while on a Mac. If you do not know how to do this click here.

A special thanks to the Librarians:

Special thanks must be extended here to Ms. Jain Tan from whose library lectures some of the important information was drawn which began this project. Also a special thanks must be extended to Ms. Sylvia Locher whose expertise helped me finish this project. AMR3

Onward!

If you are interested in learning how to use NIFTY to its fullest continue with this page.
If you are interested in only NIFTY's ability to limit a search click here.
If you are not interested in NIFTY click here to return to Computer as Research Tool.

To begin one must first get onto the system.

If you already know how to get on NIFTY click here to move to the next step.

Of course, if you are reading this on a computer screen, you have already used either Windows and the Netscape icon. or the Mac Netscape folder. However, nothing here shall be assumed since this text is also available as a handout. There are, in fact, several ways to get into Mount Vernon's library on-line catalogue. However they all begin with the first basic step:

The Universal Phase One:

Turn the Computer ( or ) ON!

In many models the button or switch in on the machine's back or side. So look about a bit. However, as in the case of our Macs, the on button could be right in front of you.
Also remember that the screen is usually a separate unit. Again the button can be found either right below the screen or in the back of the unit.

What follows are detailed step by step instructions on how to get to Nifty depending on the computer you chose to use:

Now we shall move on and join the others who clicked to the bottom of the page:

That wasn't too far out of your way was it? Now that we are all on-board, what shall we do?

Having followed the instructions under either PC or Mac, you should now be looking at the " NIFTY " screen, and it should looks something like this:

If you have chosen NOT to activate the graphics I can't show you exactly what you will see but the screen will have the following information:

Note: If you know exactly which function you want to know more about you may choose A,T,K,S,C,L,I or R. (you can not choose D since that is not the way to Disconnect from Netscape). However, if you are following this text for the best strategies of approaching the NIFTY database, continue to scroll down the page and follow the leads.

Back to business, when you get the NIFTY screen up it will give you the following information and options; the numbers included next to the choices are the steps in the order we suggest for a succesful initia search-- meaning when a student is just begining a paper: