Support : eNewsletters : Training Updates : Issue 1, January 2013

Happy New Year from all of us at Dialog and ProQuest! This issue of Training Updates starts you on the path to migration to ProQuest Dialog™. A new Expert Insights feature focuses on topics that illustrate how information from ProQuest Dialog can lead to innovative ideas. And, suggestions from our expert Global Customer Support team, Webinars, short sessions, new search aids and videos, and, of course, tips and techniques to help you in your searching are all part of this issue.

What’s New

Meet the new GCS Team!

At the end of 2012, the Global Customer Support (GCS) team was formed to enable them to work more closely to help in planning the migration process. This global team, comprised of experts with advanced degrees in all key subject areas, will also be working closely with you now to provide training, answer your questions, and continue to create resources to ensure a smooth transition during the migration process. This will be particularly important in the support of the Alert migration, including the special compliancy needs of our pharmaceutical customers.

Make sure you keep their contact information where you can find it quickly and easily.

Prepare for Migration

It’s never too early to prepare for the Dialog migration to ProQuest Dialog. The Global Customer Support team has some suggestions on how to get started.

Step 1: Sign up for Webinars starting with ProQuest Dialog Search Basics (60 min). This session will provide you with a foundation about ProQuest Dialog — the new interface, navigation and conducting searches using the different search forms.

Step 2: Once you are familiar with the basics of ProQuest Dialog, you have several options: register for Beyond the Basics Webinar, or if you are a biomedical searcher, sign up for First Steps for Biomedical Searching. To learn more about particular features of ProQuest Dialog, take one of the short 15-minute courses: Searching for an Engineering topic, Using the MEDLINE^® and Embase^® Thesauri, Searching Food Databases and more.

Step 3: Next, explore the self-paced search aids and videos. There is a wealth of training and documentation material to help you learn about the new service. Find out more about new system features and precision search capabilities under the tabs for Training and Customer Support on the Customer Information page. Download those of interest for further reference or bookmark them to return to later. Learn more about these new materials in this newsletter.

Step 4: Make sure you complete the exercises included in the eLearning modules. These will reinforce and test your knowledge as you proceed toward migration.

Featured ProQuest Dialog and Dialog courses

Register for one of our many complimentary online webinars presented by our experienced training staff and expand your search expertise on ProQuest Dialog.

ProQuest Dialog Webinars

• Short courses. Take a break and sign up for ProQuest Dialog short sessions. In 15 minutes you can learn to search the core food databases or an engineering topic or use the Embase^® thesaurus. ProQuest Dialog is that easy!
• To get started learning about ProQuest Dialog, try some of the following courses to gain knowledge of the databases, post-processing tools, limit options and more in this easy-to-use interface. Sign up now!
• Search Basics
• Beyond the Basics
• Working With Your ProQuest Dialog Results — Output, Post-Processing, Alerting Options and More
• First Steps for Biomedical Research
• Check out courses in French and German from learning the basics of ProQuest Dialog to investigating a specific topic in engineering or the biomedical literature.

Dialog Webinars

Take advantage of our Dialog courses as well. If you are a new user or need a refresher, you’ll want to register for Fast Start Basics or Refining a Search. Take the Refresher to brush up on their command searching skills or learn a few new tricks. And, learn some tricks to select databases and conduct searches in multiple files.

ProQuest Dialog search materials

Browse the latest search aids to help you become familiar with ProQuest Dialog.

• Search Syntax Conversion Guide. A handy ProQuest Dialog Search Syntax Conversion Guide lets you compare differences in operators, truncation/ wildcard characters and field codes so you can easily make use of the new tools on ProQuest Dialog.

• Search Solutions. ProQuest Dialog Search Solutions supply concise, step-by-step instructions on how to conduct a search in Advanced and Command Line search to find the most-requested information on ProQuest Dialog. Note: You can also find Search Solutions in the ProQuest Dialog Support Center.

• Coming Soon! How Do I... The ProQuest Dialog How Do I series provides step-by-step instructions on how to use specific features of ProQuest Dialog. For example, see how to set up a database shortcut or customize the language of your own interface or set the default search mode when logging in.

• Self-paced modules: In your own time and at your own pace. Select from more than 20 You Tube 2-3 minute videos illustrating steps to use features of ProQuest Dialog.
• New Administrator Modules. If you are an administrator of ProQuest Dialog for your organization, you will want to know how to use ProQuest Administrator Module (PAM). Each module also contains Learning Checks to reinforce what you’ve learned.
  • Two new modules show you some of the features:
    • Customizing the user interface — tailor your search and results pages and custom them with your company logo
    • Full-text linking options — review options to link to full text

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