HAPI Online > FAQ

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ for Users

How do I decide what kind of search to do?

There are many different types of searches you might want to use. A good place to start is using the Quick Search box, available in the top right-hand corner of every page. Use the drop-down box to choose what kind of search to do – keyword, subject, author, article title, or journal title. To learn more about how the database treats each of those fields, check out Explanation of Search Terms.

If you want to build a more complex query, use the Boolean search available on the Search page. To learn more, check out Boolean Searching and Creating a More Advanced Search.

How do I find full text articles?

HAPI provides links to the full text of articles whenever possible. To limit your search of the database to only retrieve citations to articles with full text, click "Yes" next to the phrase "Limit to citations with full text links." From the search results page or from the full citation, check to see if there are icons indicating the existence of links to full text. By clicking on the icon, it will open up a new page that links to the article itself or to the home page of a site, where it may be necessary to search for the article using the citation information provided by HAPI.

How do I search for articles only in English? (or Spanish, or French, etc.)

From the search page select the limit to search for citations to articles that are in specific languages. To learn more about other search limits, visit the Search Help page.

What is Boolean searching?

Boolean searching allows you to create complex searches by joining concepts using the Boolean operators (OR, AND, NOT). It is a powerful tool to create targeted queries. It is particularly useful when you want to expand or limit your search. To learn more about how and when to use Boolean searching, check out Boolean Searching, or What are all those "ORs," "ANDs," and "NOTs?"

What is the Thesaurus?

The HAPI Thesaurus lists all authorized subject headings and cross-references used in HAPI Online. The thesaurus is in English, but main headings have been translated into Spanish and Portuguese. To learn more about how to use the thesaurus to choose authorized subject headings to create powerful subject searches, visit the Thesaurus Help page.

Is it possible to sort my results?

Yes, you can sort by article date or by the author's last name. From the search results page, use the pull-down box to choose which method to sort the citations.

Is HAPI compatible with EndNote or Refworks?

Yes. It is possible to export citations of articles you are interested in to EndNote and RefWorks. Simply add the articles of interest to the Marked List, and then when viewing the Marked List choose the option Download Records from the top of the page. From the Download Records page, you can read instructions on how to export your list of citations to EndNote or Refworks.

How do I email my citations?

Once you have created a Marked List, you can view your Marked List. From that page, follow the link that says Email Records from top of the page. On the Email Records page simply follow the instructions on how to email the Marked List.

Does HAPI index books?

No, HAPI indexes academic journal articles from the humanities and social sciences on topics related to the greater Latin American experience. Until 2001, HAPI indexed book reviews.

Where do I find out if HAPI indexes a specific journal?

There are two ways to find out if HAPI indexes a journal. You can conduct a journal title search to see if there are any results for that journal. Or you could visit the journals page to browse the list of journals that HAPI indexes.

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FAQ for Subscribers

How much does it cost to subscribe to HAPI Online?

Pricing options are designed to meet a range of searching needs. Visit the Subscription Information page to learn more about how and why to subscribe to HAPI Online.

Does HAPI provide OpenURL linking?

Yes. If your institution is interested in setting up OpenURL, please email us.

How many IP addresses can access HAPI?

As many as you provide us with. We will work to ensure access to HAPI across your campus network. Simply input the appropriate IP addresses on the subscription order form. If you are already a subscriber and need to change some of the IP addresses you have listed, send us an email and we'll make the changes.

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FAQ for Librarians

Where can I find information about HAPI that I can use in providing information literacy instruction?

HAPI has created a new page called Tools for Librarians. This page contains handouts that librarians can use in instructing on how to use HAPI Online.

Is HAPI looking for new volunteer indexers?

Yes! We are always looking for additional volunteers. Most of our volunteers are librarians with subject expertise in Latin America. If you think you have the time and are interested in learning more about becoming a volunteer indexer, please let us know.

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