Search

The authors updated their 2009 article on the MLA International Bibliography (MLAIB) by comparing it across three vendor platforms to determine if seemingly comparable searches continued to produce varying results. As much as possible, the authors tested the same searches as were tested in the original article and added additional ones for further exploration. Findings illustrate that while there are fewer differences than was the case previously, differences still exist. The authors also investigated discovery services to identify factors affecting MLAIB searches. The authors discuss the impact of their findings on users, from undergraduates to faculty researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this article, the authors compared the MLA International Bibliography database (MLAIB) across five vendor platforms to determine how and why seemingly comparable searches produced varying results. A number of tests were conducted using a variety of fields, terms, and parameters, and examples of results are provided. The authors' findings are designed to illustrate the impact of these differences on users, from undergraduates to faculty researchers, whether they work individually or collaboratively and regardless of the platform to which their institution subscribes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]