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WELCOME TO SMART SEARCHING

WELCOME TO SMART SEARCHING. Nov. 14, 2006 Susan Hurst. WORKSHOP GOALS. 1) Learn Where to Search for What 2) Using Your Search Terms Effectively 3) Which Index or Database to Use (What’s an Index, What’s a Database??) 4) Building a Search, Putting Concepts Together.

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WELCOME TO SMART SEARCHING

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  1. WELCOME TO SMART SEARCHING Nov. 14, 2006 Susan Hurst

  2. WORKSHOP GOALS 1) Learn Where to Search for What 2) Using Your Search Terms Effectively 3) Which Index or Database to Use (What’s an Index, What’s a Database??) 4) Building a Search, Putting Concepts Together

  3. Tour of the Library Websitehttp://www.lib.muohio.edu • Library Hours • How to Get Help • Who Can Help You in Your Subject Area • How to Report a Problem

  4. Where to Search for What • Google Vs. Library Databases – each has their place • Google is good for searching for something specific (e.g. song lyrics, addresses, recipes, links to an organization, etc.) • Not so good for books, full-text articles, general overviews on a topic

  5. Improving Your Google Search • Add more search terms, the more specific the better • Use phrase searching and quotation marks • Use – for Not, ~ for Synonyms • Use the advanced search • Use specialized searches for videos, images, shopping, etc.

  6. 1 MINUTE EXERCISE • Get into Google and try using some of the tips (phrase searching and quotation marks, - for Not, ~ for Synonyms advanced search, specialized searches for videos, images, shopping, etc.) • How did your search results change?

  7. LIBRARY RESOURCES • Use the Catalog to search for books and Journal Titles • Use the databases under Research by Subject to search for Journal Articles • Use the Online Reference Shelf to search for specialized resources (college catalogs online, phone directories, currency converters, etc.)

  8. Using Your Search Terms Effectively • Keyword Vs Title Vs Subject Searches • Truncation (see handout on pg 4) • Boolean Searching (and, or, not) (see handout on pg 2)

  9. 1 Minute Exercise • Search in the Library Catalog for resources on foreign policy and the Middle East. • Use Boolean logic and truncation, see how your results change • Click on one of the items you found and look at the subject headings at the bottom of the screen, do they give you ideas of other words or phrases to search on?

  10. Searching Indexes & Databases • What is an index or a database? • Where are they? • Which one(s) should you use? • Searching more than one at a time?

  11. Academic Search Premier • Good general database, includes many areas & topics, much available full-text. • Has both popular and scholarly sources • Uses many of the same features, including truncation, Boolean, subject searches, etc. • Can limit your search various ways as well (even more in other databases) See Handout, pg 7.

  12. 1 Minute Exercise • Get into the Academic Search Premier Database and find articles on standardized testing in higher education • Try using truncation and adding in other synonyms to get more results • Look at the subject headings for additional ideas • Are there other databases that would be good to search simultaneously?

  13. SPECIALIZED DATABASES • We have many very specific databases, including ones for psychology, education, geology, marketing, literature, political science, etc. • Use the Research by Subject Area to see what these are or contact your librarian • Each may work differently, some include a thesaurus (see Handout, pg 9). • Also may use different symbols for truncation

  14. Building a Search, Putting Concepts Together • With some databases, you need to build a search, one concept at a time • Use the Thesaurus, take advantage of the indexing that’s been done for you • Use the Search History to combine your searches • Use $ for truncation in Psych Info

  15. 1 Minute Exercise • Get into Psych Info and search on Standardized Testing (hint Get Suggested Terms from the Thesaurus if that term isn’t a subject heading) • Now do another search, this time on Higher Education • Next, Add your Terms together (Use the Search History button).

  16. WRAP-UP • Use the right resource for what you’re looking for (Google vs. the catalog vs. databases, etc.) • The Library pays for access to many specialized databases and resources – Use Them • You can access the library materials from on or off campus • Contact us for help in searching or for locating materials once you found something • http://www.lib.muohio.edu/help/

  17. QUESTIONS????????

  18. My Contact Info Susan Hurst 202 King Library 529-4144 hurstsj@muohio.edu

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