The Info Search: Becoming a Super Searcher

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The Info SearchBecoming a Super Searcher

• Kristin Johnson, Meriam Library
• CSU, Chico

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99.9 of the time there is more than one way to
look up a topic on a computer.
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What You Will Learn Today

• Super Search Strategies
• Keywords
• Subject Headings
• Truncation
• Phrase Searching
• Boolean Operators

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Getting StartedKeyword Subject Searching

• Just beginning to research a topic
• Need to narrow, broaden, or refine a research
  topic
• Researching an unfamiliar topic

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Keyword Searching What is it?

• Searching for a keyword or phrase that could be
  found in anywhere in a library database
• Title
• Abstract
• Body
• Author
• Citation
• Subject Heading or Descriptor

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Subject Searching

• A search using a specific word that is part of
  the databases list of subject headings
• The databases subject headings list is often
  contained in a thesaurus or subject index
• Or, look in the subject or descriptor field of a
  record for official subject headings

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Hands on Practice 1

• In pairs, complete 1st half of green sheet Watch
  Your Language
• Remember 99.9 of the time there is more than
  one way to look up a topic on a computer.

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Juvenile Criminals

• Juvenile Criminals works OK, but the Library
  Catalog prefers a different word be substituted
  for criminals

Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile
Justice
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Fatherless Children

• Fatherless Children finds some things, but there
  are a few better way to phrase this

Fatherless Families Absentee Fathers Children of
Single Parents
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Corporate Crime

• Corporate Crime works OK, but suggest a better
  search for this topic

White Collar Crime Employee Crimes Commercial
Crimes Corporations Corrupt Practices
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Violence in the Media

• Violence in the Media sort of works, but
  suggest a better search for this topic

Violence in Mass Media Violence on
Television Violence in Motion Pictures
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Keyword SearchingUsing Phrase Searching

• Phrase Searching
• Guarantees that a string of words will appear
  together in the order typed
• Use when you have more than 2 words in a phrase
  or name

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Phrase SearchingHow?

• Phrase Searching
• Most search engines require quotation marks ( )
• Examples
• World Trade Center vitamin A
• Columbine High School raisin in the sun
• No Child Left Behind George Washington
  Carver
• attention deficit disorder war on terror
• not for profit

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Keyword SearchingUsing Truncation

• Looks for multiple forms of a word
• Allows you to search for plurals and various word
  endings by using a symbol to represent a number
  of letters
• Generally increases the number of results you find

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TruncationHow?

• If available, most search engines use an asterisk
  () at the root of the word
• e.g. terror
• terrorist, terrorists, terrorism, terrorizing

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Boolean Searching

• Uses the words AND, OR, and NOT to expand or
  limit searches
• Allows for combining search terms
• AKA Boolean Operators

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AND Why Use?

• The Boolean Operator AND combines words and/or
  phrases ensuring both are present in the
  retrieved results
• Vietnam AND protest AND students
• Japan cooking (Google uses plus sign to ensure
  word is in results)
• eagles habitat endangered

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AND - Example

• Im interested in information about knights and
  chivalry

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OR Why Use?

• The Boolean Operator OR broadens a search by
  including any of the terms in the retrieved
  results
• It is used to capture synonyms or related words
• car or automobile
• coronary or heart

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OR - Example

• I want information about knights or chivalry

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NOT Why Use?

• The Boolean Operator NOT is uses to exclude words
  or phrases from a query
• It eliminates possibilities that you suspect will
  cause problems
• martin luther NOT king
• eagles Philadelphia football (Google uses
  minus sign to exclude words)

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NOT - Example

• I want information about knights but nothing
  about chivalry.

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When to Use Boolean Searching

• Constructing a search using more than one keyword
• Complex searches

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I want to know about pythons the snakes, not
the Monty Python comedy group.

• What are the keywords?
• Python
• Monty Python
• What is the Boolean operator?
• NOT
• Draw the diagram
• Construct the search strategy
• Python NOT Monty python

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I want to learn about cooking with herbs or
spices.

• What are the keywords?
• cooking
• (herbs or spices)
• What is the Boolean operator?
• OR
• AND
• Draw the diagram
• Construct the search strategy
• cooking AND (herbs or spices)

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I have to find information on the U.S. military
in Bosnia.

• What are the keywords?
• U.S. Military
• Bosnia
• What is the Boolean operator?
• AND
• Draw the diagram
• Construct the search strategy
• U.S. military AND Bosnia

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Hands on Practice 2

• In pairs, complete 2st half of green sheet
  Search Strategy Planner
• Remember 99.9 of the time there is more than
  one way to look up a topic on a computer.

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Please Answer Question onGreen Sheet

• and turn into me.
• What was the most significant or meaningful thing
  you learned during todays session with the
  librarian? (Feel free to include more than one if
  you like.)