Search Strategies & Catalog Instruction

1. Search Strategies & Catalog Instruction Frederic Murray Assistant Professor MLIS, University of British Columbia BA, Political Science, University of Iowa Instructional Services Librarian Al Harris Library frederic.murray@swosu.edu

3. Library Instruction in the Information Age • New Search Strategies are required • Critical evaluation is more important than ever

4. Catalogs, Databases, & Search Engines • A comprehensive list of the books, periodicals, maps, and other materials in a given collection. • A large, regularly updated file of digitized information related to a specific subject or field. • Computer software designed to help the user locate information available at sites on the World Wide Web by selecting categories from a hierarchical directory of subjects (example: Yahoo!) or by entering appropriate keywords or phrases (Google).

5. Search Techniques • Keyword • Basic Boolean

6. Identifying Keywords • Identify the significant terms and concepts that describe your topic from your thesis statement or research question. • These terms will become the key for searching catalogs, databases and search engines for information about your subject.

7. Thesis Statement Advances in digital communication have made online social networks an integral part of daily life.

8. Thesis Statement Advances in digital communication have made online social networks an integral part of daily life.

9. How do I pick the right keywords? • Here is an example of a visual word search tool: • Visuwords • Use Subject Headings • Use the suggestions made in the databases • Use keywords provided by abstracts

10. Keyword Phrases • Single concept, multiple words • Some electronic resources require keyword phrases be enclosed with punctuation • Quotation marks – SWOSU Catalog • Parenthesis

11. Thesis Statement Advances in digital communication have made online social networks an integral part of daily life.

12. AND = Narrow OR = Expand Boolean • NOT = Exclude

13. Boolean Operators • Connect keywords only • Must be placedbetween keywords • AND • Narrows your search • OR • Expands your search with synonymous terms • NOT • Excludes words from your search • If used too much, it can work against you!

14. Catalog: Finding books • Relevance • Keyword searching with Boolean operators • Limiters/Filters • Subject searching (hyperlinks)

15. SWOSU Catalog

16. Dewey • All of human knowledge is broken into Ten Major Categories

17. Open WorldCat

18. E-Books: Ebrary/eBooks • 24/7 • Full Text Searching* • Highlight Markup • Note Taking • Changeable Font Size • Online Bookshelf • Multiplicity of Use

19. Exercise • Catalog worksheet • SWOSU • WorldCat • Ebrary

20. Credo Reference • Credo is easy to use • Locate background resources as well as books from the catalog and database articles. • Find it on the library web page ( Hint -Look Under the Fast Facts column) ( On the Right side of the screen)

21. Questions? • Contact me: • Frederic Murray • 774-7113 • frederic.murray@swosu.edu

22. Thanks!