Smart Searching

1. Smart Searching Library Instruction Fall 2008

2. Breaking down your Topic • Imagine the title of the ideal book or magazine article • The virtual economies of video games • Identify key concepts • Economies / Video Games • Think of synonyms or alternate search words

3. Identifying Search Terms Economies Video Games Key Concepts Economies Currency Capital Commodities Video games Digital games Virtual worlds Synthetic worlds Synonyms/Alternate Search Terms

4. Basic Searching Techniques • Boolean Operators • Truncation • Phrase Searching • Field Searching • Setting Limits

5. Boolean Operators Boolean operators link concepts within a search • AND (to include all terms / concepts) • OR (to include at least one term / concept) • NOT (to exclude terms / concepts)

6. Boolean Operators

7. Truncation or Wildcards • Expands a term to include all forms of the root word: econom* finds economics, economy, economies, economical

8. Phrase Searching • Phrase searching forces the database to look for two or more words together Instead of: video games Try: “video games” or (video games)

9. Field Searching • Title • Author • Subject • Descriptor • Anywhere

10. Setting Limits • Language • Date • Type of Publication

11. Putting It All Together (video game* ORdigital game* ORsynthetic world* ORvirtual world*) AND (econom* OR currenc* OR capital OR commodit*)

12. Refining Your Search • To find FEWER results, • Search in specific fields (title, abstract, subjects etc.) • Add or change search limits (date, language, etc.) • Add more search terms (using AND) • Use phrase searching instead of AND

13. Refining Your Search • To find MORE results, • Use truncation or wildcard characters (* or ?) • Include more synonyms (use OR) • Search “anywhere” rather than in specific fields • Remove search limits (e.g. date, language, etc.) • Use AND instead of phrase searching

14. Refining Your Search • To find more RELEVANT results, • Use NOT to exclude unwanted terms • Search specific fields (title, abstract, subject/descriptor, etc.) • Use AND instead of OR

15. Any Questions?

16. Some Examples… • TRELLIS • Research Databases • CSA • Web of Science • Google/Google Scholar

17. TRELLIS • What is TRELLIS? • 3 catalogues in 1… • Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier, and Guelph (TUG) • What will I find? • Books • Journals • Government documents • Conference proceedings • Etc.

18. TRELLIS • For searching topics, use the Advanced Search

19. TRELLIS

20. TRELLIS Search Strategy #1

21. TRELLIS

22. TRELLIS Click on “LOCATION” or check the sign beside the elevators

23. TRELLIS

24. TRELLIS

25. TRELLIS

26. TRELLIS Search Strategy #2a

27. TRELLIS

28. TRELLIS Search Strategy #2b

29. TRELLIS

30. TRELLIS

31. TRELLIS – Getting books NOT at UW

32. TRELLIS – Getting books NOT at UW

33. TRELLIS – Getting books NOT at UW

34. TRELLIS – Getting books NOT at UW

35. Going Beyond TUG

36. Going Beyond TUG

37. Going Beyond TUG

38. Any Questions?

39. Your Turn! • Try searching for books on a topic of your choice. • What are the subjects given in the record? • Choose a subject which you think would be appropriate.

40. Research Databases • Use to find journal articles on topics • Choose an appropriate database • Topic/subject • Date • You can work from home! • Use the Connect from Home link

41. Research Databases Searches a pre-determined set of databases Select the database to search

42. Research Databases

43. CSA Databases • Over 20 databases covering a large variety of subject areas • Can search multiple databases or a single database

44. CSA Databases

45. CSA Databases

46. CSA Databases

47. CSA Databases

48. CSA Databases

49. CSA Databases

50. Any Questions?