Database Information Hunting Techniques For Successfully Searching Electronic Databases BHS Library Media Center Fall 2009

The goal of this lesson is to provide you with more effective techniques for searching the electronic resources available to you. These techniques should provide you with a general knowledge base for successful searching. When possible you will be provided with links to specific information from the resources themselves. The topics covered in this lesson include: Selecting Appropriate Resources; Boolean Logic; and Advanced Searching. Overview

Selecting Appropriate Resources The type of information you are seeking should determine the type of electronic resource you use. In the print media world, for example, if you are looking for a definition, you would use a dictionary. If you need to find an editorial on a topic, a newspaper is the most likely place to look. Looking for that editorial in the dictionary will not lead to any results. The same applies in the electronic media world. By knowing which type of electronic media resource to use, you can find the information you need more quickly. Just like print media, electronic media provides a wide variety of resources – books, newspapers, encyclopedias, magazines, journals, etc. You just need to match the resource to your need. Most databases will allow you to search the type of resource to search when searching beyond the “basic” box.

Selecting Appropriate Resources 1. Encyclopedias 2. Biographies 3. Magazines 4. Journals 5. Newspapers 6. Pictures/Videos 7. Transcripts 8. Reports A. Images and recorded video B. Articles about current events in particular places C. Articles about popular topics, not always unbiased or scholarly D. Written texts of recorded materials E. General reference knowledge about a topic F. Statistical research G. Articles on specific topics meant to be educational, generally peer reviewed and of a scholarly nature H. Information about people

Selecting Appropriate Resources 1. Encyclopedias = E. General reference knowledge about a topic 2. Biographies = H. Information about people 3. Magazines = C. Articles about popular topics, not always unbiased or scholarly 4. Journals = G. Articles on specific topics meant to be educational, generally peer reviewed and of a scholarly nature 5. Newspapers = B. Articles about current events in particular places 6. Pictures/Videos = A. Images and recorded video 7. Transcripts = D. Written texts of recorded materials 8. Reports = F. Statistical research

Boolean Logic Before beginning a Boolean search, it is a good idea to make a list of synonyms for your topic or topics. Authors of information do not always use the same vocabulary you might use. Having a list of words will increase the likelihood of search success. A database that has been organized (like Destiny, our online public access catalogue or OPAC, and the electronic databases) uses designated subject terms for finding information about a topic. The more synonyms you have for your topic, the more likely you are to find the one the system uses. Most systems will allow you to search the subject terms. Look for terms like “Browse Subjects,” “Authority Files,” or “Thesaurus.”

Boolean Logic Below are some great links on how Boolean logic works when searching electronic resources. ubject=boolean n8.shtml

Advanced Searching View the tutorial on Basic Searching from EbscoHost. This tutorial will provide information beyond typing in a search term and clicking on go. It includes an interactive quiz within the tutorial. /EBSCO_Basic_Quiz.htm Here is a tutorial with quiz that provides information about Ebsco’s Student Research Center. It provided both basic and advanced searching techniques. z.htm While the tutorial is specific to EbscoHost databases, the information is applicable to most electronic resources.

Conclusion While all this information may be overwhelming, with practice, you will find searching the electronic resources easier and more productive. Don’t get discouraged, it takes practice! Don’t forget that the electronic resources are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Instead of trying to memorize all the different links, you can find them on the BISD Library Media Specialists’ wiki – Make sure you have the campus logins and passwords. If you ever get stuck when searching for information, visit the library and ask your librarian for assistance.