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Developing a Search Strategy

Introduction

Identifying Search Terms

Using Boolean Operators

Using Wildcard & Truncation Symbols

Using Built-in Subject Terms

Using Thesauri & Indexes

Using Bibliographies

Activity

 

   
 
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Activity

Don't Forget to Print this Page When you Are Done! Prefer to work from a print version? Download and print the pdf version here.

Part I. Identifying Search Terms

Determine at least four (4) search terms and one possible synonym for each term that you could use to search for resources on the following topic:

The effect of the Internet on plagiarism on college campuses

Search Term 1:
Search Term 2:
Search Term 3:
Search Term 4:
Possible Synonym:
Possible Synonym:
Possible Synonym:
Possible Synonym:
Any Possible NOT Terms?

Part II: Using Boolean

Using the search terms and synonyms from Part I, give two examples of terms you could combine with AND, two examples of terms you could combine with OR, and one example of a NOT search

AND Search 1:
AND Search 2:
OR Search 1:
OR Search 2:
NOT Search:

Part III: Using Wildcard & Truncation Symbols

Look at your search terms from Part I. Select one that you could use a wildcard symbol with and then select one that you could truncate (you can utilize the same search term for both examples). Once you've selected your terms, indicate what additional terms you would expect to find with your search. (If using a wildcard or truncation symbol will lead to numerous terms, only indicate 2 or 3 expected terms).

Wildcard Example:

Terms expected:

Truncation Example:

Terms expected:

Part IV: Using Built-in Subject Terms

Searching the Catalog. Use your first AND search from Part I to search the Libraries' Catalog: http://www.lib.utk.edu/catalog. Indicate the following information from your search:

  1. Which AND search did you use?

  2. How many results did you find?

  3. Select one title from your results list that looks like it fits your topic and indicate the title here:

  4. Look at the full record for the book and write down the Subjects included with the record:
    Put an X next to the subject that best fits your search.

  5. Click on the link for the subject you put an X by in #4. How many results do you get from this search?

Searching a database. Use the same AND search that you used to search the Catalog to search Academic Search Premier: http://www.lib.utk.edu/cgi-bin/auth/connect.cgi?primary=397. Indicate the following information from your search:

  1. How many results did you find?

  2. Select one article from your results list that looks like it fits your topic and indicate the following information for it here:
    1. Article Title:
    2. Author(s):
    3. Journal/Magazine Title:
    4. Volume: and Issue (if given):
    5. Year/Date:

  3. Click on the article title to see the complete record. Are there any Subject Terms listed? yes no

    1. If yes, record the Subject Terms here:


    2. If no, go back and try another article that has Subject Terms and enter them above.

  4. Select one of the Subject Terms from above that best fits your search and indicate it here:

  5. Click on your selected Subject Term. How many results do you get from this search?

Part V: Using Thesauri & Indexes

Using Academic Search Premier, click on the Subject Terms link in the navigation panel (Don't remember how to get there? Go back to the Using Thesauri and Indexes part of the tutorial). Once on the Subject Terms page take your Search Term 1 from Part I and browse for it in the Subject Terms Index.

  1. What term did you browse for?

  2. Does your exact term appear in the subject term index? yes no

  3. If your term does not appear in its exact form, does it appear as a variation? yes no

    • If yes, what is the variation?:

Click on your term to expand it out. List here the additional information given to you by the database:

How can this information be useful for your search?

Part VI: Using Bibliographies

Return to the article that you selected in the Searching a Database section of Part VI. (You may have to repeat your search but if you have written down the information for your article you should be able to locate it again easily).

  1. Does your article have a bibliography? yes no

    a. If yes, how many entries (articles, books, etc.) are included in the bibliography?

    b. Read through the resources and select one that you would consider helpful for further researching your topic.  Write down the citation information (title, author, etc.) for the selected resource here.

c. If no, what does this tell you about the article you've selected?

All Done! Don't Forget to Print this activity!

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Last Modified 03/15/07 02:27
 
 
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