Screenshots of my ProQuest Education Search. All images by author.

1. PRO QUEST SEARCH An inquisition into inquiry

2. SEARCH
STRING
“Inquiry learning”
Initial
results
demonstr
ate the
size of
this
database
The ability to
cite directly
off the
results page
is a positive
feature.

3. SEARCH
STRING
SU("inquiry learning" OR "inquiry-based learning" OR "discovery learning" OR
"guided inquiry")
Searching
only the
subject field
reduces the
results easily,
even with the
addition of
synonyms
Sorting by
relevance allows
me to check my
accuracy in the first
few results

4. SEARCH
STRING
SU(inquiry OR "inquiry learning" OR "inquiry-based learning" OR "discovery
learning" OR "guided inquiry")
With
the
additio
n of the
broad
term of
inquiry
my
results
balloon
!
Icons
symbolise the
result type

5. SEARCH
STRING
SU(inquiry OR "inquiry learning" OR "inquiry-based learning" OR "discovery
learning" OR "guided inquiry") AND (plan* OR progra*)
An additional
search field
reduced my
results

6. SEARCH
STRING
SU(inquiry OR "inquiry learning" OR "inquiry-based learning" OR "discovery
learning" OR "guided inquiry") AND (plan* OR progra*) NEAR/10 (“Student-
directed” OR "student-cent*")
Using a
proximity
operator
reduced my
results a lot!
Refining by source
type was a useful
feature

7. SEARCH
STRING
SU(inquiry OR "inquiry learning" OR "inquiry-based learning" OR "discovery
learning" OR "guided inquiry") AND (plan* OR progra*) NEAR/10 (“Student-
directed” OR "student-cent*") NOT “higher education”
I receive a
range of results
with this
complex search

8. SEARCH
STRING
SU(inquiry OR "inquiry learning" OR "inquiry-based learning" OR "discovery
learning" OR "guided inquiry") AND (plan* OR progra*) NEAR/10 (“Student-
directed” OR "student-cent*") NOT “higher education”
-with “peer reviewed” box checked
By checking the peer
reviewed box all my results
become academic journals.
A brilliant feature!