Search Techniques & Using
Databases
Jane Long
MLIS, University of Oklahoma
MA, Wright State University
Reference Services Librarian
Al Harris Library
jane.long@swosu.edu
How do I get started?
Search Techniques:
1. Keywords
– Flexible Terms
– Easy Searches
– Less Accuracy in
Searching
– Use of Phrases
– Use Synonyms
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.
Keywords: Synonyms
Keyword phrase: green society
Synonyms: environmentalism, sustainable
living, social responsibility, clean energy,
ecological modernization, environmental
protection, environmental aspects, green
movement, political ecology, recycling ethic,
preservation…
Keyword Phrases
• Single concept, multiple words
• Some electronic resources require keyword
phrases be enclosed with punctuation by using
– Quotation marks
– Parenthesis
Keyword Phrase Examples
• Gasoline Taxes
-- Highway Trust Fund
-- Organization of
Petroleum Exporting
Countries (OPEC)
-- Transportation
spending
-- Sport utility vehicles
(SUVs)
-- Fuel efficiency
• Government Bailout
– Bear Stearns
– Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac
– Housing bill
– Savings and loan
crisis
– Henry Paulson
– Subprime mortgages
Search Techniques:
2. Boolean Operators
– Connect keywords only
– Must be placed between 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!
Treatment of employees by
fast food restaurants
• First, narrow down the topic
– Which restaurants are you talking about?
– What kind of treatment?
• Good or Bad
• Focusing on:
– Working environment & hours
– Benefits & Pay
– Promotion & Opportunities
– How are employees treated by their peers?
Manager(s)? Customer(s)?
How “AND” is used
• AND (narrows)
– restaurant and employee
– restaurant and employee and “retirement
benefits”
How “OR” is used
• OR (expands)
– restaurant or cafeteria
– salary or income
• AND & OR together
– restaurant or cafeteria and employee
– salary or income and “work hours”
How “NOT” is used
• NOT (excludes)
– cafeteria not school
– income not influx
• AND, OR & NOT together
– employee and restaurant or cafeteria not
school
Search Strategy
• Endless possibilities…
– employee OR worker AND cafeteria AND salary
– employee AND restaurant AND salary OR income
– waitress AND eatery AND income
Class Exercise
• Keyword Building Exercise
Brainstorming Ideas: student, train, work
(You are considering today’s economy and
preparation for employment as a beginning
topic possibility.)
– Your keyword choices should be
synonyms
Today’s job market
salary
learner
practice
work
student
train
livelihood
apprentice
educate
Finding Articles
• We find articles in periodicals. This
includes magazines, scholarly journals,
and newspapers
• Many of these resources
are available in print
• Many are available
through our library
databases
Magazines vs. Scholarly Journals
What is the difference?
Difference Between Scholarly
and Popular Periodicals
POPULAR MAGAZINES
SCHOLARLY JOURNALS
•
•
HAVE A SOBER, SERIOUS LOOK
•
ALWAYS CITE THEIR SOURCES IN
FOOTNOTES/ ENDNOTES AND
INCLUDE BIBLIOGRAPHIES
•
ARTICLES WRITTEN BY A SCHOLAR OR
RESEARCHER “HORSE’S MOUTH”
•
PEER-REVIEWED BY SCHOLARS
•
LANGUAGE OF JOURNAL ASSUMES
SOME SCHOLARLY BACKGROUND ON
THE PART OF READER
•
ADVERTISING IS SPECIALIZED TO
THAT DISCIPLINE
•
PAGINATION IS USUALLY CUMULATIVE
•
•
USUALLY SOMEWHAT SLICK AND
ATTRACTIVE IN APPEARANCE
RARELY CITE SOURCES. INFO. IS
USUALLY SECONDARY, REPORTED
FROM SOURCE
ARTICLES SHORT, WRITTEN IN SIMPLE
LANGUAGE AND FOR A MINIMAL
EDUCATION LEVEL
•
USUALLY LOT OF ADVERTISING AND
PICTURES
•
PAGINATION RESTARTS IN EVERY
ISSUE
I need periodical sources, so I will
begin by searching the databases!
Databases are:
• Large, regularly updated files of
digitized information related to a
specific subject or field.
• They are the place where we find
articles from scholarly publications,
magazines, and newspapers.
• They are the best source for your
research.
Databases 101: Differences
Between Brands & Products
• Nike
– Shoes for…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Men
Women
Children
Basketball
Baseball/Softball
Running
Soccer
Golf
• EBSCOHost
– Academic Search
Complete
– ERIC
– Newspaper Source
– CINAHL
– MEDLINE Plus
– SPORTDiscus
Full-text articles
Full-text articles indicate the entire
article can be found within the
database, no physical searching is
necessary. Full-text articles are
accessible in the following ways:
• HTML (displays like a web page)
• PDF (displays like a photocopy; best for citing info)
• Linked (hyperlinks to full-text in another location)
Periodicals List
A directory used to identify the location of
journals, magazines and newspapers
accessible through the library regardless
of format
Formats:
–
–
–
–
Electronic (article database)
Paper (soft or hard bound)
Microfilm (reel)
Microfiche (card)
Periodicals List
Periodicals List Exercise
• Is the periodical a magazine or a
journal?
• Does the library have access to this
periodical?
• How do you know?
1. Searching
Techniques
2. Scholarly vs.
Popular Periodicals
3. Periodicals List
4. Databases 101
The search for articles should
begin by creating an EBSCO
folder.
Setting up an EBSCO folder
Next Step
With a folder, you are ready to save
documents as you begin searching
for sources.
Article Databases
Citing Database Articles –
magazine source
• Bernstein, Fred. "Architecture That Makes a
Difference." Architectural Record Oct. 2008: 65-
65. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Sept.
2009.
Citing Database Articles –
journal source
• Rozsa, Lajos. “A Psychochemical Weapon
Considered by the Warsaw Pact: A Research
Note.” Substance Use & Misuse 44.2(2009):
172-78. Academic Search Complete. Web.
24 Sept. 2009.
Exercise
• Academic Search Complete Worksheet
Questions?
• Contact me:
– Jane Long
• 774-3030
• jane.long@swosu.edu
• Faculty webpage:
http://faculty.swosu.edu/jane.long/
Thank You!