Database searching b&h

Database searching b&h

• 1.
  library.think.edu.au Database Searching Skills
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  Outcomes At the endof the workshop, you should be able to: • search more efficiently • get better results • know where to look • be less anxious about your research
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  •What information amI looking for? •Where will I find the information •How will I get there? •How good is the information? •How will I ethically use the information “Finding information is hard….”
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  What type ofinformation do I need, & where do I find it? • Definition • Basic overview • Statistics etc. Information type • Book • Govt. publications • Wiki • youtube General source • Google • Library catalogue How to find it
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  When do Ineed to use a database? Bibliographic database (aka “Literature database”) indexed articles, subject specific e.g.: Ebsco, Proquest • Recent information • Research • Scholarly articles Information type • Academic literature • Journal articles • Theses, reports etc General source • Databases • Google Scholar How to find it
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  Ebsco GaleProquest •Only Open Sourcefull text journals •Google Scholar •Digital repositories •Paid content = more full text available •Not as broad coverage of journal articles FREE •THINKEducationsubscription
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  1. Define yourtopic 2. Determine your search strategy 3. Find your citations 4. Get the full text article Steps in finding information how?! Yes, but ……
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  Database Full Text? • Yes- YAY! • No (see below) Available at THINK? • Check library catalogue • Ejournal? Print journal? Other database • Check Google Scholar Submit article request • Make sure you really need it • Usually free, but occasionally not • Can take up to 2 weeks so allow time Steps in finding full text article
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  1. Define thekeywords you can use 2. Start broad, progressively narrow down 3. Use search building techniques – synonyms, limiters 4. Note ‘clues’ in your results – jargon, exclusion terms etc. 5. Understand what your results mean 6. Repeat your search – be persistent, think laterally Search strategy
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  Define keywords • Topic analysis •Keywords • Synonyms, jargon, Latin form • Context Search building • Phrase searching • AND, OR, NOT • Similar and Citing articles Use Limiters • Time frame (recent? historical? trending?) • Type of literature (review article, clinical trials, news?) • Gender , age, population , language   after…. before…. during…. So, in summary:
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  Search is anexercise in persistance! If you don’t feel you’re getting results  Change databases  Change keywords  Change tactics  Ask your librarian for help – we’re experts! Review search results – again!
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  Example search strategy Puttingthe theory to work.
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  “Discuss how Indigenousgroups can be involved in Australian tourism ” • Aborignal • Aborigines • Torres Strait Islanders • Globally? • Australia? • Current? Historical? Trends? • “case study” • “indigenous Australians” Phrases Context Synonyms
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  Boolean Truncation Phrasesearching • AND • NOT • OR Using these in your search can force exclusions or inclusions e.g: tablet NOT computer child* Searches for: • children • childhood • childlike Compare this google search: indigenous tourism = 5,000,000+ results “indigenous tourism” = 120,000 results Simply phrasing your search can focus your results enormously. Some search techniques
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  Use Advanced Search Almostall databases and search engines have advanced search options Provides many more fields to help you refine your search
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  Use limits effectively Use thelimits provided, when you can
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  Use limits effectively
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  Reading your results 1. Suggestedsubjects 2. Type of document 3. Abstract or Full text 4. Abstract text 5. Refining options      
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  Reading your results Making useof the functions available, helps you keep organised while researching.