Lesson 8. Research Skill: Searching
KEY CONCEPTS
- Effective searching must start with a set of questions you need to answer.
- There is a logical and orderly process by which information becomes part of a searchable database or repository of material.
- Different types of sources are searched in different ways and are found in different types of databases.
- Constructing a search strategy requires understanding the structure and content of the database in which you are searching.
- Constructing a search requires understanding of the terminology of the topic as used by different types of disciplines or contributors.
- Systems used for information searching on the web have vastly different characteristics, content and lead to very different search outcomes.
- Libraries contain vast varieties of search systems and it requires familiarizing yourself with the structure of the library website to locate the resources.
- Searching is often a multi-step process with one search informing how to structure the subsequent search.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
- identify and define the contents of a database, how the contents were gathered, and select the database(s) mostly likely to help answer your question.
- distinguish between types of reference tools.
- maximize the search options available in different search engines to construct the most effective search.
- take advantage of subject headings or classification schemes when searching and understand how to consider terminology in your search.
- construct a “Boolean equation” as part of your search strategy.
- understand what is and isn’t found in “surface” web searches compared to “deep” web searches.
