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Successful Searching

Managing your Search Results

Advice for getting the best search results

Advice for getting best results (Searching Tips)

  1. Use AND/OR/NOT to build your search called “Boolean Searching”
    • AND narrows a search by being more specific
    • OR broadens a search
    • NOT narrows by exclusion
  2. Use phrase searching –use “  “ quotes to enclose specific phrases – “education policy”. Cuts down on irrelevant results.
  3. Use truncation – uses a * to truncate a word, it finds any ending. For example manag - * will find manager, management, etc.
  4. Decide on the time-scale –last 5 years, 10 years?

What does that word mean?

Useful tools for searching

 

 

Google:

  • Good starting point for overview
  • Access to lots of different material
  • Easy to Access
  • Disadvantage: Gives the most popular results not necessarily the best.

Google Scholar:

  • Simple search across many disciplines and sources
  • Easy to use interface
  • Quick to find a specific article
  • Disadvantage: You will not have access to to many of these search results.

Library Search:

  • Access to wide range of books, ebooks, journals
  • High quality results
  • All material found is accessible, free of charge to you

Library Databases:

  • Material is peer-reviewed.
  • View your Subject Guide to see recommendations of key databases.
  • Can carry out through Literature review on material relevant to your topic.

 

Use the LibrarySearch filters

I found too much

 

Solution: Go back to your topic or question and be more specific.

Change the keywords and use the filters to narrow by:

1.date
2.source
3.or by type of information

I found too little

Solution: Go back to your topic and broaden it.

1.Use broader keywords and search terms.
2.Expand the date, region, etc.
3.Try to find more sources.