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Mastering Effective Database Search Strategies

Learn successful search strategies for any database. Explore designing effective search strategies, principles of searching, and using Boolean operators like AND, OR, NOT to refine results. Discover truncation, wildcard operators, field searches, thesaurus use, and dealing with noise words. Plan your search strategy, use online manuals, think laterally, and remember the proverb: "Give a man a fish, and he will eat today; teach him how to fish, and he will eat forever."

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Mastering Effective Database Search Strategies

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  1. Successful Search Strategies How to search effectively in any database

  2. Introduction • Designing an effective search strategy • Databases are all different However • Principles of searching are the same …………………… usually

  3. Boolean Operators • AND • OR • NOT/AND NOT • Purpose: to broaden or narrow your search

  4. AND • ie. all terms must occur in the search result • eg. Quality AND Service AND 1998 • Purpose: narrows search

  5. OR • ie. either or both terms appear • eg. Hotel OR Motel • Purpose: broadens Search

  6. NOT / AND NOT • eg. Performance AND appraisal NOT 1998 • Purpose: narrows search, first term appears but not the second

  7. Truncation • Wildcards such as * or ? at the end of a word • Eg. * • comput* retrieves computer, computing, computerized etc

  8. Wildcard Operators • Wildcard operators within a word • Eg. wom?n • retrieves woman and women

  9. Field Searches • Limits the searches to chosen fields • eg. Au = Mintzberg, H • eg. Co = Marks & Spencer • eg. Jn/So = Economist

  10. Thesaurus • Use to find narrower, related or broader terms • eg.quality • related: accuracy • narrower: total quality

  11. Noise Words • Common words are not searchable in most databases unless specified as a phrase • eg. or • on • a • at • …………….. And many more

  12. And in conclusion • Plan your search strategy before logging on • Use on-line user manuals • Think laterally • And: • Sometimes, success means finding little information

  13. Finally • Old Chinese Proverb: • Give a man a fish and he will eat today • Teach him how to fish and he will eat forever

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