INTD 150 Library and Internet Research

Open the following tabs: Pick up QUIZ #2 Closed-book Hand quiz in when done Open the following tabs: Google www.google.com Milne Library website www.oneonta.edu/library

Accessing Sources Free-text searching Boolean searching Keyword searching Subject searching Internet search engines Databases Library Catalog

Bailout of Automobile Industry in Michigan Economics Discipline Subjects are narrower areas of a discipline Great Recession of 2008 Topic Bailout of Automobile Industry in Michigan Aspect Economic Bailouts Loan Policies Subjects Aspects/facets are narrower parts of a topic comprised of subjects that can be researched Government Regulation Michigan Automobile Industry See pages 61 and 67 from week 2 handout

Free-text searching is a casual search method

Keyword Searching breaks research question into concepts but ignores relationships Gaming computer/gaming PC/high-end computer/gaming rig Build/Custom/Assemble How do I build a gaming computer with high-quality components? Sometimes useful Ignored by search engine components/high-end/high quality/ enthusiast

Boolean Operators

Parentheses separate sets of instructions pets AND (cats OR dogs) pets AND (cats OR feline)

Quotations retrieve exact matches (aka exact phrase)

Truncation and wildcards allow for word variation * or ! or ? Truncation: rock* = rocks, rocky, rocket Wildcard: wom*n = woman, women Database dependent (Google doesn’t truncate)

Boolean searching in Google with limiters can return precise results Search Strings: (build OR custom) AND (“gaming computer” OR “gaming PC”) AND components –console

Academic Example What effect does divorce have on Divorce/separation/failing marriage What effect does divorce have on academic achievement in elementary school children? Academic achievement/ grades/education Elementary school children/primary school children/children

Discovery Services aren’t as great as they sound …but not really… EBSCO Discovery Service

Free text search: divorce and academic achievement in children

Creating a possible search string (aka query) from concepts AND divorce AND academic AND children OR academic OR “academic achievement” NOT children NOT preschool children –preschool divorce AND (academic* OR “academic achievement”) AND children NOT preschool

Boolean Search: divorce AND (academic Boolean Search: divorce AND (academic* OR “academic achievement”) AND children NOT preschool

Keywords are natural language, best used in internet search engines Concept: Personal computer Gaming Computer PC Computer Hardware Microsoft/ Apple

Do not use slang or highly technical terms

Subject Term: Computers Subject searching is controlled vocabulary, best used in databases with thesauri (aka descriptors, subject terms, subject headings) Keyword: Computer Hardware Keyword: Computer [Example from WorldCat] Subject Term: Computers Not appropriate for proper nouns or internet search engines

Database thesauri provide subject term conversions NOT the same as a Merriam-Webster Thesaurus Database thesauri are dictionaries to controlled vocabularies

There are several ways to find subject terms ASC: Subject Terms WorldCat: Subjects ASC: Database Record

Use WorldCat from Databases tab

LC Class Descriptors can help you locate other materials