How to search MLA International Bibliography database.

1. How to Search
MLA International Bibliography
Database
via Forsyth Library
Fort Hays State University

2. What is MLA International Bibliography?
This database is a classified listing and subject index of scholarly
books and articles on modern languages, literatures, folklore and
linguistics which has been compiled by the Modern Language
Association of America since 1926.
Subject coverage
MLA IB contains
• Modern literatures citations and abstracts
• Literary theory and criticism only--no full-text
• Linguistics (complete) articles. But
• Teaching of language in some cases, links to
• Film, television and theater the complete article in
• Rhetoric and composition another database are
• History of the book available.
• Folklore

3. To access the MLA International
Bibliography Database:
Use the link on the Finding Articles Use the link on Forsyth Library’s
page of the English Research Guide Alphabetical List of Databases
http://fhsuguides.fhsu.edu/english OR http://www.fhsu.edu/library/electronic/databases

4. MLAIB contains citations for articles, but also for books,
book chapters, and dissertations. The icons to the left of
the citation tells you which type of material it is.
Book
Chapter
Scholarly
Journal
Article
Dissertatio
n

5. If you only want journal articles, check the box under
“Source Type” when you first begin your search.

6. Advanced Search gives you several search boxes so you can
combine terms, and choose where you want those terms to appear
in your article (such as in the title or subject)
You can also
limit your
search to
peer-
reviewed
articles, or
by date,
publication
title,
language,
etc.

7. Example of an Advanced Search
This search
yielded only
one result

8. Search Tips
Combine search terms with AND to narrow your search, focusing
it to your precise topic.
Broaden your search by using synonyms or phrases with similar
meanings, such as female OR woman
Truncation Symbols: Use an asterisk * to stand in for any number of
letters in a word, so that you retrieve all forms of the word. Example:
feminis* will find feminism and feminist
Wild Cards: Use a question mark to stand in for a single letter.
Example: wom?n will find woman and women
For more searching strategies, click on “Tips” or “Help” on the
MLAIB search page.

9. From your results screen, click “Modify Search”
to change your search terms.

10. Broadening the search by changing the search terms from
(“ feminist theory”) to feminis* increased the number results from 3
to 13 .
feminis* will bring
up feminism or
feminist(s), and
dropping “theory”
broadens the
search even more
Search
suggestion
s can be
helpful.
Or not.

11. Adding OR wom?n increases the number of hits to 50. While wom?n (woman
or women) is not strictly synonymous with feminist or feminism, articles that
critique Madame Bovary on themes relating to women may also touch on
feminism and have useful content.

12. Use the pane on the right to
narrow your results, if desired.
Slide to
restrict
your
results by
date, then
click
Update

13. Subject Headings are another way to find articles.
Click the article title to find the subject headings.
Click the links to search for other articles
on that subject.

14. Next Steps
• To learn how to mark your results, save them to your account, e-
mail citations, etc., consult the MLA IB: Working With Your
Results tutorial located on the Tutorials Page of the English
Research Guide
• To learn how to find the complete article, book chapter or
dissertation after locating the citation, consult the MLA IB:
Finding Full-Text tutorial
• For help Identifying Citation Types (book, article, book
chapter, dissertation, etc), consult the handout on the home
page of the
English Research Guide

15. Questions? Just ask!
Judy Salm Lynn Haggard
628-4537 jasalm@fhsu.edu 628-5566 lhaggard@fhsu.edu
MaryAlice Wade Angela Barger
628-4342 mawade2@fhsu.edu 628-4529 abarger@fhsu.edu