Research and Information Literacy

Professor Susan Acampora

RESEARCH STRATEGY: LIBRARY DATABASES

DISCUSSION:

• Select Terminology for searching

• Identify appropriate databases for research topics and determine their purpose and coverage

• Introduction to multidisciplinary sources such as: Credo, Academic Search Complete

• Apply search techniques and advanced database features

• Work with LinkSource to obtain articles outside of Gill Library

EXAMPLE TOPIC: THE BERMUDA

A RESEARCH EXAMPLE• Topic Idea: The Bermuda Triangle

• Academic Focus: The Science behind BT

• Question: What do we really know about the Bermuda Triangle? Have any scientific studies been done? What is really going on?

• Thesis: Often believed to be a myth or attributable to the supernatural, the Bermuda Triangle can and should be explained by science.

• Thesis: Often believed to be a myth or attributable to the supernatural, the Bermuda Triangle can and should be explained by science.

Bermuda Triangle

Myth Supernatural Science

Devil’s Triangle Hoax Aliens Technology

Douglas DC-3 Legend Atlantis Methane Hydrates

Flight 19 Hysteria ParanormalExtra-terrestrial

MagnetismWeather

YOUR TURN:

WHAT IS YOUR TOPICWHAT ARE YOUR TERMS?

Your Subject 1 here Subject 2 Subject 3

Related search terms Related search terms Related search terms

FOR HELP FINDING RELATED SEARCH TERMS

• Google

• Wikipedia

• CREDO Mind Map

• Gale OneSearch Topic Finder,

• Keyword or Subject Fields in book or article records

CREDO REFERENCE An Online Tertiary Resource of Tertiary

and Secondary Sources• Credo (formerly xrefer or Credo Reference)

• Began in 1999

• A subscription database available at Gill Library

• Full-text online versions 1200 published reference works

• General and subject dictionaries and encyclopedias

• Links between reference works and links to Gill Library

• Topic Pages

• Mind Mapping Tool

WHERE ARE THE LIBRARY DATABASES

SUBJECT SPECIFIC DATABASES

SEARCH TECHNIQUES• Boolean Operators

• Wildcards and Truncation

• Modifiers and Limiters

BOOLEAN LOGIC

Boolean Logic allows you to combine your search terms to help you find exactly what you need

BOOLEAN OPERATORSAND, OR, NOT

BOOLEAN OPERATORS

• AND = narrow your topic

• OR = broaden your topic

• NOT = will eliminate the term it preceeds

AND

• Use “AND” when you want to narrow search results to include ALL of your selected subjects.

• Art AND Elderly AND Depression

• Note: Most databases default their searches to AND when you enter multiple terms in a search box.

OR

• OR combines search terms so that each search result contains at least one of the terms.

• For Example:• Elderly OR Aged OR Geriatric OR Old

NOT• USE SPARINGLY!!

• Use NOT when you MUST eliminate a term from your search results

• For example: Autism NOT Asperger’s

but be CAREFUL

For example: Looking for Archaeology in Mexico but not New Mexico

Don’t use “Mexico” NOT “New”

While you will avoid “New Mexico”

You will also miss “New Discoveries in Mexico”

• Use only to narrow very broad searches

EXAMPLE FROM EBSCOHOST HELP

DEVELOPING A SEARCH STRATEGY WITH BOOLEAN LOGIC

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoUzX78rg5o

EXAMPLE

REMEMBER: KEYWORD VS SUBJECT SEARCHING

• Most databases default to searching by keyword anywhere in the article record.

• If you are finding too many search results or too many unrelated search results try Subject Searching which looks for your term in the subject field of each record

THESAURUS OR ONLINE SUBJECT GUIDE

• Check to see if the database

has a Thesaurus or Subject Term

list for more subject terms

to search with.

TRUNCATION SYMBOL *

• Replace the ending of a search term with an * to find all variations of that word.

For example, type comput* to find the words computer or computing.

LIMITERS AND MODIFIERS

LET’S START SEARCHING• See Lab Exercise Assignment