1. Research
How to find the best
information to
match your needs!

2. Search Tools – which is best?
• ERIC - http://eric.ed.gov/
• Awesome Library http://www.awesomelibrary.org/
• Dogpile - http://www.dogpile.com
• SearchEdu - http://searchedu.com/
• Clusty - http://clusty.com
• Google Scholar http://www.scholar.google.com
• HotBot - http://www.hotbot.com
• Ixquick - http://ixquick.com/
• Librarians' Index to the Internet http://lii.org/
• Teoma - http://www.teoma.com
• Sweet Search http://www.sweetsearch.com/
• KartOO - http://www.kartoo.com
• Infomine - http://infomine.ucr.edu/
• OJOSE - http://ojose.com/
• Yahoo - http://www.yahoo.com
About.com - http://www.about.com
• WiseNut - http://wisenut.com
• Oaister http://www.oclc.org/oaister.en.html
• Surfwax - http://surfwax.com
• Google Books http://print.google.com

3. Remember:
Anyone can publish
anything
on the Web!
It is your job, as a
researcher, to look
for quality!
Image from Flickr- Dana Longley
photostream

4. Some Problems with „Google‟
Searches
Google’s “strategies” are not universal
There are good Google searches and bad
Google searches
Searching rules are not really rules
The rules are really for databases and
advanced search screens
Most folks don’t find the advanced screens or
the databases

5. Searching
Most search engines and databases search
"words anywhere" or "keywords"
automatically unless you select another type of
search.
Keyword searching finds matches for your
terms in any field of a record or any part of a
Web page, so you will typically retrieve more
information with less precision. This is
sometimes called "recall" searching because it
focuses on recalling as much information as
possible.

6. Precision Searching
Databases and search engines: some allow
searching in fields such as author, title, or
subject. Many call this "advanced," or
"expert" searching.
These searches retrieve less information with
more precision. This is called "precision"
searching because it focuses on finding only
precisely what you need.

7. Keyword Searching
You are a detective and the only clues you
have for a missing persons case are the words
"red," "blue," and "green," these people could
be a match. This is keyword searching.
RED + BLUE + GREEN

8. Field Searching
If instead you knew your person had a red tie,
blue shirt, and a green beret, you have a better
chance of finding the right person. This is field
searching.
Tie:RED and Shirt:BLUE and Beret:GREEN

9. “Phrase searching”
One of your best searching tools!
Use only for legitimate phrases, names, titles
•
•
•
•
Best example -- “vitamin A”
“John Quincy Adams”
Titles “An Officer and a Gentleman”
“to be or not to be”
Phrase searching is sometimes overused: not
every group of words is a phrase
Sometimes “ANDing” is a better strategy

10. The Boolean Machine
by Rockwell Schrock
AND
OR
NOT
Try This Yourself

11. Here‟s how it works
AND
OR
NOT
When using AND, you only receive pages including both of your
search terms, though not necessarily next to one another.
When using OR, you receive pages containing either one or both of
your search terms.
The NOT operator is used to find pages including only the first term
and excluding the second term.
•
Boolean Machine courtesy of Rockwell Schrock
http://kathyschrock.net/rbs3k/boolean/

12. Recognize the importance of
brainstorming and strategy
Research Question:
How effective are drug abuse prevention programs for young
people?
Connect with “ANDs”
Concept 1
Concept 2
Concept 3
Concept 4
or
teen*
“drug abuse”
prevent*
effectiv*
or
adolesc*
marijuana
program*
success
or
child*
alcohol
treat*

13. Search Query Exercise
Click here to try the exercise
From the UW Will program

14. What is a Primary Source?
Primary sources are original, uninterpreted
information.
Unedited, firsthand access to words, images, or objects
created by persons directly involved in an activity or
event or speaking directly for a group. This is
information before it has been analyzed, interpreted,
commented upon, spun, or repackaged.
Depending upon the context, these may include:
paintings, interviews, works of fiction, research
reports,
sales receipts, speeches, treaties, legislation, letters, emails, and others.

15. Secondary Sources
Secondary sources interpret, analyze or
summarize.
Commentary upon, or analysis of, events,
ideas, or primary sources. Because they are
often written significantly after events by
parties not directly involved but who have
special expertise, they may provide historical
context or critical perspectives.

16. What Do We Have?

17. ProQuest

20. So, how should I approach research as an
information literate student?
The BIG 6
1. Defining your problem and asking the good
questions What is my thesis or problem?
•
•
•
•
What information do I need?
What do I already know?
What more do I need to find out?
Remember: Try to make the most out of any research problem. The better your
question, the more you will learn.
2. Information seeking strategies? Where can I
find the information I need? Which are the best
possible sources? Which databases are the best
choices?
• Which types of sources will best help me solve my information problem?
Which sources do I already have?
• Do I need help to find the resources or to make sure I haven't overlooked
any critical sources?

21. So, how should I approach research as an
information literate student?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
3. Selecting and evaluating your resources
How can I search these sources effectively?
After reading, can I identify better keywords or subject headings to
refine my electronic search?
Do the resources I found really answer my questions or offer evidence
to support my thesis?
Have I carefully examined my selected sources for significant details
and concepts?
Have I examined my sources for currency, relevance, accuracy,
credibility, appropriateness and bias?
Can I defend all of the resources I am considering for inclusion in my
works consulted page?
Does the scope, depth and quality of my research meet my teacher's
and my own expectations?
How will I credit my sources?

22. So, how should I approach research as an
information literate student?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Organizing and restructuring information How much of the information I
collected is truly relevant?
Do I see any patterns emerging in the information I collected?
How can I organize this information so that it makes sense to myself and
others? Do I have a strategy for notetaking?
Can I construct a visual tool or written outline to help me structure my work?
Have I solved my information problem and answered the related questions?
Do I have enough information?
Communicating the results of your research Who is my audience?
How can I most effectively share this information with this audience?
Which would be the best format for communicating the results of my
information? PowerPoint? video? essay? debate? speech? traditional paper?
What do I need to do this presentation? Equipment? Software?
Have I included everything I want to share?
Have I proofread, edited and truly finished my project?

23. Evaluating your work
•
•
•
•
The product:
Am I proud of the product? Was it effective?
Did I meet the guidelines or follow the rubric for the project?
Am I sure I cited all sources and did not plagiarize?
Is the best work I could have done?
The process:
• Did I explore the full scope of available resources and select the
best?
• Did I approach the research process energetically?
• Did I search electronic resources (the Web and licensed databases)
using effective, efficient, strategic search strategies?