Meriam Library and the Technology and Learning Program

Linking to journal articles in BlackBoard Vista and other web pages

There are many ways that you can add links your Vista course, but we will limit our instructions to two methods that use: (1)Vista's Web Links tool, and (2) Vista's built-in HTML editor. If you aren't using Vista, follow steps one and two to construct your links and insert them where needed..

Follow these steps. (See below for detailed instructions.)
(I) Find a stable link
(II) Add Proxy server address http://mantis.csuchico.edu/login?url= to the front of the link (Please note that the Proxy server address has changed. Formerly it was: http://mantis.csuchico.edu:2048/login?url= )
(III) Add your completed link(s) to your course using (1)Vista's Web Links tool or (2) Vista's built-in HTML editor

The steps in more detail:
I. Find a stable link
In many of the databases that the Meriam Library subscribes to, obtaining a stable link to full text material is as simple as copying an article's URL from the address bar of your web browser. Unfortunately this method does not work for all of our databases. Some, like Academic Search and JSTOR require that you their built-in tools to generate your links. Other databases like LexisNexis and Factiva don't even offer links to the article or journal level, and the best you can do is offer your students links to their homepage.

For a list of Meriam Library full text databases with corresponding instructions on how to get links see this page: http://www.csuchico.edu/lcmt/linking/linkingarticles/howto.shtml

You can also use Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) and OpenURLs for your stable links.
If you use a DOI, remember to add the DOI server address http://dx.doi.org/, to the front of the DOI.
For example, the DOI 10.1016/j.iheduc.2003.11.004 becomes http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2003.11.004
To obtain OpenURLS to use as links, Chico's OpenURL generator is located at: http://sfx.calstate.edu:3004/chico/cgi/core/openurl-generator.cgi
(Note: after filling in the boxes, click on the box in the bottom left to see the OpenURL)

II. Add the Proxy server address http://mantis.csuchico.edu/login?url= to the front of the link.
For example, when the proxy address is added to the following link http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2003.11.004
it becomes: http://mantis.csuchico.edu/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2003.11.004

III. Add your link(s) to a page using (1)Vista's Web Links tool or (2)Vista's built-in HTML editor:

(1) Vista's Web Links tool
a. In the Build View of Vista select the Web Links tool from the left menu. If Web Links is not in the menu, add it in the Manage Course menu. (manage course-> tools-->content tools->web tools.)
b. On the Web links page, click on the " create web link" button.
c. Add a title to your link in the title box. In the description box you can also add a more elaborate description if you wish.
d. In the URL box add your link here
e. Select the box next to "open in a new window" and "show" window if you are ready for your users to see it.
f. Add the Web Link to your Course Content page or to a Learning module by clicking on the Web Links button on the Build page, selecting the box next to the link, the place you want it in the "create link on" menu, and then hitting the "go" button"

OR

(2) Vista's built-in HTML editor
a. In the "Build View" of Vista select the "Course Content" tool from the left menu.
b. Click on "add file" and then select "create file" file from the drop down list.
c. Turn on the "HTML Creator" button.
d. Give your link a title, and add a description in the content window if you wish.
e. Click on the "insert link" icon which looks like a chain link, on the right side of the second row of icons.
f. Paste the link from step 2 above into the box that says: "URL: Enter link to file, including the protocol (such as http:)"
g. Enter a description of the link and then hit the "Save" button when you are done.
A link to the page (file) that you just made will then appear in the content window.


Test your links at home to make sure they work for your off-campus users

Contact jtyler@csuchico.edu for questions or comments

Address for OpenURL generator: http://sfx.calstate.edu:3004/chico/cgi/core/openurl-generator.cgi

v. 21-Jul-2008 4:14 PM