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Mastering Advanced Information Searching Strategies

Enhance your search skills to find, evaluate, and compile information effectively. Learn database techniques, internet searching tips, and source evaluation methods for academic success.

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Mastering Advanced Information Searching Strategies

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  1. Advanced information searching Sue Egleton: Liaison Librarian s.l.egleton@reading.ac.uk MT25D Skills for graduates

  2. at the end of these sessions you will: • be able to formulate an information search strategy • be able to search databases for journal articles • make more efficient use of the Internet • be able to evaluate information sources • know how to compile a bibliography

  3. … the process ... 1 • think about your topic • design your search 2 • carry out your search • useinformation sources 3 • evaluate material • read and use • compile bibliography

  4. think about your topic: formulate your search strategy • what subjects or ideas are involved • how might you describe them What do you actually want to know?

  5. example topic “Discuss the features of naturally occurring microbursts in relation to aviation safety.” exercise

  6. related terms (synonyms) microbursts downbursts downdraughts / downdrafts aviation aeroplane aircraft safety turbulence hazard

  7. carry out your search: books and articles What do you already know about? Library Catalogues (Unicorn / Met. Library) Information available immediately Web of Science (good general coverage, has citation searching option) Some information not held by library GEOBASE (environmental information) Some information not held by library How quickly do you need the information? Have you got your ATHENS username & password?

  8. carry out your search: using databases what are they how are they put together how do you access them how do you search a database what do you find exercise & demo Web of Science

  9. complex searching - “OR” items containing “microbursts” items containing “downbursts” items containing “microbursts” OR“downbursts” widens your search by including more than one search term allows searching for synonyms

  10. complex searching - “AND” items containing “aviation” items containing “microbursts” items containing “microbursts” AND “aviation” narrows your search by adding terms together

  11. a possible search (microbursts OR downbursts OR downdraughts OR downdrafts) AND (aviation OR aircraft OR aeroplane) AND (safety OR hazard OR turbulence) break

  12. carry out your search: using the Internet • good for certain types of information • eg facts/data, company information • different types of search engine available • eg general or subject specific • use advanced searching for more complex enquiries demo

  13. evaluating your sources very important when using web sources, but good practice with every source • authority • relevance / audience • coverage • currency • accuracy / reliability • design / structure • access Example web page

  14. tips and tricks • check for simple mistakes • spelling • are you searching in the right place? • try using some different terms • are there more related terms? • try narrowing or widening your search • use combinations of and / or

  15. why compile a bibliography? • you’re marked on it • you can’t pretend someone else’s work is yours (plagiarism) • other people should be able to find the sources you used Bad examples OHP

  16. referencing - guidelines • Essay project guidelines state format should follow Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society • Full guidelines at: • www.royal-met-soc.org.uk/qjinstr.html • (appendix 1= house style, appendix 3 = title abbreviations) • Some guidelines on inside back cover of unbound copies (Met. Library and Main Library) OHP example

  17. referencing - layout - article • authors of the article, • in the order that they appear on the article • surnames first followed by initials. full title of the article date the article was published page numbers of the article volume number of the periodical, in bold • full title of the periodical, in italics • may be abbreviated according to Q.J.R.Meteorol. Soc. rules

  18. referencing - layout - book • author(s) of the book, • in the order that they appear on the book • surnames first followed by initials. full title of the book, in italics date the book was published place of publication full name of publisher

  19. referencing - layout - chapter of a book full title of the chapter in quotation marks • author(s) of the chapter, • in the order that they appear in the book • surnames first followed by initials. page numbers of the chapter in the book place of publication date the book was published • authors or editors of the book • in the order that they appear on the • book • initials followed by surnames fulltitle of the book, in italics full name of publisher

  20. referencing - layout - web page • author(s) of the web page, if this is possible • Institution / Organisation can be used title of the web page • date the page was created, if known OR • date the page was viewed if creation • date unknown date you viewed the web page full URL (address) of the web page visited

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