2. Search terms
When you are searching a database or
website, in most cases your computer
will only search for what you tell it to
search for.
3. Search terms
When you are searching a database or website, in most
cases your computer will only search for what you tell it
to search for.
You need to consider…
4. Search terms
When you are searching a database or website, in most
cases your computer will only search for what you tell it
to search for.
You need to consider…
• Alternative terms
5. Search terms
When you are searching a database or website, in most
cases your computer will only search for what you tell it
to search for.
You need to consider…
• Alternative terms
• Terminology
6. Search terms
When you are searching a database or website, in most
cases your computer will only search for what you tell it
to search for.
You need to consider…
• Alternative terms
• Terminology
• Alternative spellings and word
endings
8. Alternative terms
Does the author call them
“mobile phones” or “cell
phones”?
If you search for articles
which include the term
“teenager” will you miss
the article which only
refers to “adolescent”?
13. Terminology
Think of the different terms
which may be employed by:
• A broadsheet newspaper
• A tabloid newspaper
14. Terminology
Think of the different terms
which may be employed by:
• A broadsheet newspaper
• A tabloid newspaper
• An official publication
15. Terminology
Think of the different terms
which may be employed by:
• A broadsheet newspaper
• A tabloid newspaper
• An official publication
• An academic journal article
22. Terminology
“mental retardation”
- started to be commonly used in mid-20th century, replacing earlier terminology no longer
perceived as acceptable.
- Now itself perceived as not
politically acceptable and being
replaced by terms including
“intellectual disability”.
23. Terminology
“mental retardation”
- started to be commonly used in mid-20th century, replacing earlier terminology no longer
perceived as acceptable.
- Now itself perceived as not politically acceptable and being replaced by terms including
“intellectual disability”.
- Still in use in the United States and
by the WHO sometime after the
phrase became less commonly
used in United Kingdom.
24. Terminology
Changes in terminology and
spelling especially important
when searching historic sources
such as newspapers, official
publication and pamphlet
collections.
29. Variant spellings
Spellings vary – for example, think
about Americanised and Francophone
word spellings:
• colour or color
• centre or center
30. Variant spellings
Spellings vary – for example, think
about Americanised and Francophone
word spellings:
• colour or color
• centre or center
• licence or license
31. Variant spellings
Spellings vary – for example, think
about Americanised and Francophone
word spellings:
• colour or color
• centre or center
• licence or license
• organised or organized
32. Variant word stems
You also need to put yourself in the head of
the author. Spelling may depend on the
form of word used.
33. Variant word stems
You also need to put yourself in the head of
the author. Spelling may depend on the
form of word used.
• The police were accused of negligence
34. Variant word stems
You also need to put yourself in the head of
the author. Spelling may depend on the
form of word used.
• The police were accused of negligence
• The police were accused of acting negligently
35. Variant word stems
You also need to put yourself in the head of
the author. Spelling may depend on the
form of word used.
• The police were accused of negligence
• The police were accused of acting negligently
• The police were accused of being negligent
38. Journal Ranking
Usually, academic databases will just search
for the terms you tell them to.
They will not think for themselves.
So if your search isn’t
finding what you
want, think about
alternative
keywords, terminolog
y and variant
39. Image Credits
[Slide 1] Via Flickr Creative Commons, by Justin. Original available at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/17964151@N00/1804061993/
[Slide 7] Via Flickr Creative Commons by Don Urban. Original available at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/18565975@N07/3257999418/
[Slide 8] Via Flickr Creative Commons by Surian Soosay. Original available
at http://www.flickr.com/photos/76284765@N00/6027006776
[Slide 16] Via Flickr Creative Commons by @Doug88888. Original available
at http://www.flickr.com/photos/29468339@N02/3107120908
[Slide 18] Via Flickr Creative Commons by bs_gif. Original available at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36996450@N06/4165512530
40. Image Credits
[Slide 27-31] Via Flickr Creative Commons, by Didi. Original available at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11356857@N08/4500234472
[Slide 36-38] Via Flickr Creative Commons by JulyYu. Original available at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53953811@N00/311846814
41. Other Credits
This presentation is based upon a learning unit
created by the author (James Bisset) whilst
employed at the University of the West of England.
The original can be viewed in multiple
places, including at
http://www.uwe.ac.uk/library/resources/bus/learningunits/ibis/media/Thinking%
20about%20your%20search%20terms/Presentation_Files/index.html
Editor's Notes
Homicide is more American usage
Citation index not a completely new idea in other contexts, such as the legal field where case citation indexes to track the subsequent treatment of judicial decisions had been in place in the US since 1873, and in the UK from 1947.From this, came his first mention of using this data to measure the “impact factor” – in this initial paper, at an article level, but later at the journal level.
Citation index not a completely new idea in other contexts, such as the legal field where case citation indexes to track the subsequent treatment of judicial decisions had been in place in the US since 1873, and in the UK from 1947.From this, came his first mention of using this data to measure the “impact factor” – in this initial paper, at an article level, but later at the journal level.
Citation index not a completely new idea in other contexts, such as the legal field where case citation indexes to track the subsequent treatment of judicial decisions had been in place in the US since 1873, and in the UK from 1947.From this, came his first mention of using this data to measure the “impact factor” – in this initial paper, at an article level, but later at the journal level.