Downloaded 16 times
Uploaded byMandi Goodsett
Search Strategies
This document provides guidance on effective search strategies for research, including choosing a topic, developing keywords, using Boolean search operators, identifying subject headings, and utilizing references lists. It discusses sources for topic ideas, how to brainstorm keywords, what Boolean operators are and how to use them, where to find subject headings, and how to find additional sources from reference lists. The overall message is to practice these search strategies to develop a thorough understanding of a research topic.
More Related Content
Search Strategies
- 1.
- 2. Search Strategies 1) Choosinga Topic 2) Developing Keywords 3) Boolean Search Operators 4) Subject Headings 5) Using the References List • Practice!
- 3. 1) Choosing aTopic
- 4. Sources of TopicIdeas
- 5. Sources of TopicIdeas • Course material • Assignment •Current literature in the field • News •Personal Interests • Professor
- 6.
- 7. Background Information • Encyclopedias •Dictionaries •Wikipedia • Google
- 8.
- 9.
- 10.
- 11. Should orchestras use electronicstands? Brainstorming
- 12. Should orchestras use electronicstands? Brainstorming orchestra performance electronic stands
- 13. Should orchestras use electronicstands? Brainstorming orchestra performance electronic stands symphony musicians application technology iPad playing music score pages app
- 14.
- 15. Brainstorming •Find new words •Useyour brainstorm to change your research question if need be
- 16.
- 17. What are BooleanSearch Operators • The most common Boolean search operators are AND OR NOT • Put them between two or more words or phrases from your search terms, and make sure they are capitalized
- 18. What are BooleanSearch Operators • Using your brainstorm map, find some search terms and make some Boolean search connections.
- 19.
- 20. Subject Headings • Whatis a subject heading? Word or phrase assigned to a source by librarians or authors
- 21. Using Subject Headings Yousearch Rock and Roll … but the subject heading is Popular Music. You’ll get fewer relevant results with your search term than with the subject heading assigned to the source.
- 22. Where are subjectheadings found? In the library catalog, open the record and click on the Full Record tab
- 23. Where are subjectheadings found? In EBSCOhost databases, list of subject terms found in record
- 24. Where are subjectheadings found? In JSTOR Advanced Search, can narrow by discipline
- 25. Subject Headings • Findsome appropriate subject headings for your topic question. If you need help finding an appropriate database, don’t hesitate to ask!
- 26.
- 27. Practice Time! Pick yourfavorite 2 background sources about your brainstormed topic. Record some background info about it and pull out at least 3 more keywords from your research. The person with the most brainstormed words gets a special prize.
Editor's Notes
- #9 Oxford Music Online – Grove Music Online + Oxford Dictionary of Music + Oxford Companion to Music + Encyclopedia of Popular Music Harvard Dictionary of Music Baker’s Bibliographical Dictionary of Musicians
- #10 Oxford Music Online – Grove Music Online + Oxford Dictionary of Music + Oxford Companion to Music + Encyclopedia of Popular Music Harvard Dictionary of Music Baker’s Bibliographical Dictionary of Musicians
- #22 If you're having trouble getting results in the library catalog or the GALILEO databases, you might just be using the wrong vocabulary. The words associated with different records in the catalog and databases are assigned by librarians, and they might have chosen different words than you. For example, you might be searching for Rock and roll but the librarian might have assigned the subject heading Popular music to material that is about rock and roll. If you didn't know that, you might be missing out on important resources available to you. Those words and phrases assigned to records by librarians are called subject headings or subject terms.