Using Credo Reference

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UC MERCED LIBRARY TUTORIALS

Using Credo Reference 

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Introduction

CREDO logo

This tutorial will show you how to find reference materials in Credo Reference, a library database.

What are reference materials?

In this tutorial, you will learn to:

  • access Credo Reference
  • search in Credo Reference
  • refine your search results
  • email Credo Reference articles with citations
  • export Credo Reference articles to citation  managers
  • listen to, download, embed, translate, and save Credo Reference articles

Why Use Credo Reference?

Credo Reference is a great source for reliable background information on your topic. By performing one search, you can find information from encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference sources.

Use the active web page on your right to complete the tutorial.

Accessing Credo Reference

To access Credo Reference, click on the Databases tab in the search box in the upper right hand corner.

databases tab

  • Type or copy & paste Credo into the search box.
  • Click Go.
  • Click on Credo Reference.

Searching in Credo Reference

The Credo landing page defaults to a basic search, but you will also see options for an image search, topic search, and mind map in the basic search drop-down menu.

Let's start with a basic search:

  • Type or copy & paste food labeling (or your own search terms) in the search box.
  • Click Search.
  • Scroll through the list of results to see if any of the articles look useful. 
  • Some searches may return a topic page; however, most results are entries or chapters from specialized encyclopedias and handbooks.
  • Note that the essay, chapter, or definition is listed first in blue, while the source of the article is listed below the title of the article in black.

image from CREDO of search result

Refining Your Search Results

  • Under Filter Your Search at the left, click on the arrow head icon to expand by Collection, Subject, Media, Date, or Length.
  • Select one or more desired filters.
  • For example, under Length, you can choose to view short, medium, or long articles.

Related Resources

Once you find relevant background information on your topic, Credo can lead you to more in-depth information found in books and scholarly articles. Once you are looking at an article, selected from the results list:

  • Use the links in the right hand column under Related Searches and Search Other Sites to see additional resources.

images for CREDO related articles

  • Under the Search Other SitesUC Libraries Catalog (Melvyl) links to books, ebooks, and selected scholarly articles.
  • Academic Search Complete, Google Scholar, and JSTOR link to scholarly articles.
  • The Oxford English Dictionary offers additional definitions.
  • NewsBank provides news articles from around the world.

Search other sites

Email Articles with Citations

Once you find the article(s) you need, Credo allows you to email articles and citations for easy access.

What is a citation?

To email yourself an article and the citation:

  • Click on an article title.
  • Click the Email icon (the envelope).

images for email icon in CREDO

On the email page,

  • Choose the appropriate citation format from the Citation Style drop-down menu.
  • Check the box next to Include full text.
  • Enter your name.
  • Enter your email address (or person you want to share with) at Email to.
  • Click the Share button to send the article.

Try this now with an article that looks interesting.

When you are done, click the Back button in your browser.

What is a citation format?

Export & Cite Articles

Credo also makes it easy to export articles to citation managers like EasyBib and RefWorks.

What are citation managers?

To cite the article without sending it to a citation manager:
  • Click on an article title.
  • Click on the Quotation mark icon.
  • Choose the appropriate citation format from the Citation Style drop-down menu.
  • Copy & paste the citation into your document.

Quotation mark with green square outline around it

To export an article to a citation manager:

  • Click on an article title.
  • Click the Quotation mark icon.
  • Select which citation management tool (e.g. RefWorks) you want to export the article to.

Try this now.

Listen, Download, Embed, Translate, & Save

Notice that Credo also offers options to listen to, download, embed, translate, or save articles to a folder. You can see these options in the bar at the top of each entry.

Other tools to listen to, print, embed, translate, or save to a folder outlined in green.

Conclusion

This concludes the Using Credo Reference tutorial. Now that you've finished:

  • Complete the short 3-question quiz on the next page.
  • Enter your email and your professor's email when prompted.
  • Send the email.
  • Print your quiz results if desired.
  • Let us know what you think about the tutorial by clicking on the feedback link.


Thank you!

 

Quiz

Which of these features is NOT available in Credo Reference?

How can using the Related Resources feature in Credo help you with your research?

What are reference materials?

Certificate

Please enter your name and email address to retrieve a copy of your completed quiz.

You can enter multiple email addresses separated by commas, with no spaces (for example, bobcat@email.com,bobcat2@email.com). If you are doing this for a class, you may need to enter your instructor's email address also.

Feedback

What did you think of this tutorial?
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