Knowledge Base

Starting your Search

The most difficult part of conducting a good search is usually not figuring out which buttons to push, but rather in figuring out which terms to use and how to combine them to find literature that is "on topic". This requires a strategy that will optimize the number of relevant titles that you can find.  One part of this strategy is the search statement.

A search statement is a query that identifies the information you are searching for in a database in a way that can be utilized by the search engine for retrieval of articles, books, etc. In most cases, a topic can be described in many different ways.  As there are over 500,000 words in the English language, there are undoubtedly numerous words that could be used to describe the topic.
To begin:

• Break your search statement/question into concepts and keywords
• Note other possible natural vocabulary keywords and applicable concept terms while doing background research.
• Create concepts for 1-3 words.

Search Strategies

Research begins with an idea which must be put into words.

Those words are your key to locating relevant information to your topic.  You may be lucky to hit on the "right" words and find a wealth of information.  Sometimes, it doesn't happen that way.  Creating a search strategy is essential for successful search results. Even if you are not familiar with the topic, knowing the right resources and search strategies can result in success.   

Search Strategies will provide you with the tools to overcome any road blocks in researching your topic.

Follow these steps:

1. Create a search statement using keywords
2. Use keywords and controlled language (Definition: An organized arrangement of words and phrases used to index content and/or to retrieve content through browsing or searching.
3. Use the Database Search features and tools.
4. Truncation and Wildcards can expand your results.
5. Use Boolean searching (Definition)
6. Change approaches as necessary - gathering information is not a linear process.   (Definition: A linear process or development is one in which something changes or progresses straight from one stage to another, and has a starting point and an ending point.) Continue to identify applicable keywords and controlled vocabulary to go back and check in the selected database(s) and other resources.

As searches are performed and familiarity with the topic and databases increase, new keywords will become available.  These words will be in titles, subject terms, abstracts, and within relevant articles. It is important to capture and use these words.  The search process is not linear, so as these words appear, the research process needs to be revised taking these new words into account.  This may also affect the original research topic/statement. Depending on results (too many or not enough), the search strategy may change. 

A successful Search begins with a good Brainstorming Session.  Use the Worksheet to come up with a variety of keywords and phrases that can be used when approaching your research topic(s). 

• A Thesaurus is an excellent tool to discover synonyms (words that have similar meaning).
• Another great source is your textbook's glossary of terms.  

Database Search Features

The databases offer features and tools that manipulate search results.  Learning how to effectively use these tools can reduce frustration and increase results. Searching methods can vary from one database to another, however most offer a basic search and an advanced search function.  Depending on the goal of the search will depend on which search function to use.

Basic Search:

Typically, the basic search box only searches one field, which may or my not be predetermined. In most cases this is set to keyword, or search all fields.  The basic search is useful to determine how big the collection of articles related to the topic is, which will help in generating search strategies.  It is also helpful when doing a known search, such as an author or an exact title. 

Advanced Search:

Advanced search functions provide more control to the user, and allows for a more refined search.  Multiple search terms in multiple fields can be search simultaneously.  This search function should be used when the collection of information is large and needs to be narrowed.  It is also useful when information from more than one field would assist in locating items of interest such as when looking for an author with a common name.  By combining a subject term, the results would be narrowed to that individual's work or material that refers to that author's work.

Limits:

Many databases have limits that control the available articles by specific parameters such as date, format, material type, language or location.  These options can narrow the focus of results to only the parameters established.  In Discovery, these limits are located in the left hand column of search results.

Keywords & Controlled Language

Many databases have some form of "controlled vocabulary", also known as "standardized vocabulary".  One term is selected as the preferred word for describing and searching for words and concepts in citations.  These words and concepts are referred to as Subject terms or descriptors.  Words selected for controlled vocabularies are decided by specialists in information science and/or academic disciplines related to the terms and concepts.  Keywords are descriptive words that may be found in the title, subject headings (descriptors), contents notes, abstract, or text of a record in an online catalogue or database.  A keyword search is also known as free-text searching.

Using a thesaurus to find related terminology to your search terms can increase the number of information sources you find.  You can find a thesaurus in your word processing software (such as Microsoft Word), online, or in print at the library.

Example:

Wildcards

Single Character  ?

• The single character wildcard is the question mark ?. Use ? to replace any single character in a term. The ? is a replacement wildcard that is, there must be a character in the wildcard position to register a match.
• You can use two or more single character wildcards in the same term, if necessary.

 Multiple Character   *

• The multiple character wildcard is the asterisk (or star) *. Use * to replace 0 or more characters in a term.
• You can use two or more multiple character wildcards in the same term, if necessary.

Synonym (or Thesaurus)  $

• The synonym wildcard is the dollar sign $. Since $ looks like an S, you can remember that it applies to Synonym searches.
• Use $ to find synonyms of a term. You cannot specify usage for the synonym. For example, searching for synonyms of address could find items for both location ("What is your address?") and speech ("He addressed the audience").
• Note that the $ must appear at the end of the term and you cannot mix it with any other wildcards in the same term.

Word Form (or Stem)  %

• The word form wildcard is the percentage sign %. Use % to find forms of a term. Word forms are defined by the parts of speech — singular, plural, past tense, present tense, future tense, etc.
• You do not need to specify a root word to perform a word form search. A word form search on long (a root word) should produce the same results as a word form search on longer.
• Note that the % must appear at the end of the term and you cannot with it any other wildcards in the same term.

Truncation

In many databases, online catalogues and internet search engines it is possible to refine results using a technique called "truncation".  Truncation allows you to search for variant forms of a word as a single search concept, rather than identifying and entering variant words of the keyword as individual concepts.  Variations of words in keyword searches can be searched simply by adding or replacing characters at the ends, beginning, or middle of the word with a truncation symbol, also known as a Wildcard.  Wildcards are inserted in the place of letters that would vary depending on the usage. 

For example:

Boolean Searching

Boolean searches allow you to combine words and phrases using the words AND, OR, NOT (otherwise known as Boolean operators) to limit, widen, or define your search.