Introduction | Search strategy | The initial search | Combining sets | Displaying results

Modifying the results | Printing or downloading | Summary | Access

Introduction:

• computer skills, knowledge of the content and format of the database, and of the search, display, and output commands

• awareness that the computer only searches for words and phrases and not for "interpretations" or "meanings"

• the ability to break your topic into concepts that are easily searched

Search strategy:

• prepare for the search by producing a concept map. This is an outline of the search

• identify the appropriate databases which will produce the best results

• search for terms or keywords or concepts individually. The database will respond by telling you how many times each term occurs in the database

• combine the results in a way that reflects the original query

• display a selection of the results to determine relevancy

• modify the search if necessary by adding additional or new terms

• print or save/download the relevant results

The initial search - Hints:   

1.  You should search for the keywords or subject terms describing each concept separately, and then combine them to find references that include all the terms you have searched.  It will make your search more flexible as you will be able to add or remove keywords from a set without affecting the other sets.   

2.  Use truncation to include plurals or variant endings. Truncation refers to shortening a word or eliminating some characters from a longer term to pick up variants. Truncation symbols, such as (* ? $), are used during the search to indicate to the computer to substitute any character(s) for the symbol. Truncation symbols vary from database to database.   

Example of truncation   

Use MANAG* to retrieve   

MANAGE, MANAGES, MANAGEMENT, MANAGING, (it will also retrieve manager, manageress, managerial, managerially, managership, manageable, manageability, manageableness, manageably)   

Take note that truncation may result in retrieving terms not relevant to your search.   

Example   

CAT* will retrieve CAT and CATS but also CATALOGUE, CATAMARAN, CATHEDRAL and many more unwanted terms if your concept is "cat".   

3.  Use Boolean logic operator OR to broaden a search by inclusion. It is used to include synonyms, related, broader and narrower terms describing the different concepts. It will combine the terms listed vertically in each column of the concept map.   
   

Combining sets: The next step after doing the initial search is to combine the results of those searches. This should be done in a way that reflects the concept map of the original query.    Use Boolean logic operators AND, OR, NOT to combine results.

OR broadens a search by inclusion. It is used to include synonyms, related, broader and narrower terms describing the different concepts. It will combine the terms listed vertically in each column of the manual search strategy planning example.   

AND narrows a search by combination. Something from each concept must appear in the reference to be retrieved. It is used to combine all the concepts.   

NOT narrows a search by exclusion. It excludes any references containing the specified term.   
   

Displaying results: You can display the results once you have done a search. The display methods and commands can differ from database to database. 

Modifying the results:  
 
It is possible that even the best planned searches can produce unwanted results. If the references are not what you would expect, think again about the terms you have used and modify or refine your search accordingly.   

If you find that you are retrieving far too many unwanted references, or nothing fits what you thought you searched for, you can try the following:   

• substitute broader search terms with more specific ones when you retrieve too many references

• substitute very specific search terms with broader ones when you retrieve no or not enough references

• look for a good article and look at the subject headings. Use these subject headings to refine your search

• refine your search by combining new search terms with previous sets where appropriate, or create a new sequence of sets

• if your search results are relevant but there are too many you may be able to reduce the number through limiting by time, language, document type etc.

• make sure that it is the correct or best database to use

Printing or downloading the results: Once you have done a satisfactory search, you need to print or download the references. The print and download commands may require you to specify:   

• Which set to print/download; the default is often the last set of the retrieved references.

• What format to print/download in. You usually have a number of pre-defined options, but can also select the fields you want to print/download. Many databases include formats compatible with reference management software such as Endnote. By downloading results in compatible format, you can directly import the records into a personal reference database.

• Which records to print/download - it is usually a choice of:
• the entire set
• only those records marked or selected by you
• one record at a time

How to get access to electronic databases:

The Library website provides networked access to the electronic databases subscribed to by the Library. Go to the Library website >> Databases & Article Searching.

The Subject Guides page directs you to the relevant electronic resources for the various subject disciplines. General information is provided on each database, as well as help screens for searching techniques.