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4
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Searching
the databases |
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| Once
you have selected a database which covers your subject area
you can start to think about doing a search on your particular
assignment topic or research area. |
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| Most
databases basically work in the same way. There are a number
of basic database searching techniques
which you will need to be familiar with. The
following outlines the basic steps you need to follow when doing
a database search. |
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| Step
1: Analyse
your topic |
| First
analyse your topic and pick out the main concepts.
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| Example:
The effect
of greenhouse gases on climate change |
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The
main concepts here are greenhouse
gases and climate
change
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| Step
2: Think about the keywords you could use in your
search |
| List
some of the keywords that best describe your topic.
Think of different words or phrases which may cover
the same concepts. |
| Example:
The effect
of greenhouse gases on climate change |
|
Some
keywords which best describe the concepts
here are: greenhouse
gases, greenhouse
effect, climate
change, global
warming etc.
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| Step
3:
Combine keywords using the
AND &
OR operators |
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| Databases
use the words AND
and OR
(known as Boolean operators) to combine sets
of keywords. Use the AND
operator to retrieve records which include both
of your search terms. |
| Example:
The AND operator |
greenhouse
gases
AND
climate change
will retrieve records which contain
both these
terms
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|
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| However,
you may also want to retrieve articles which use
the term global
warming, a
term which relates closely to the concept of
climate change. This is when you
use the OR
operator. The or
operator is usually used to search for similar
terms or concepts. |
| Example:
The OR operator |
greenhouse
gases AND
(climate
change OR
global
warming)
will retrieve records which contain
the term greenhouse
gases and either or both of the terms
global warming
or climate change.
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| Step
4: Using truncation symbols / wildcards |
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| Truncation
symbols, also known as wildcards, are used to search
for a variety of word endings. |
| Example:
Truncation / Wildcards |
| environment?
= environment,
environments, environmental |
|
Truncating
your keywords will broaden your search. Different
databases use different truncation symbols such
as: *, ?,
$,
#. You can find out
which truncation symbol to use by clicking on the
link from Sirius or the Subject Guides. Also, online
help is usually available via the actual database. |
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| Step
5: Finding more records relevant to your topic |
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| Most
databases use subject terms,
also called descriptors,
identifiers or subject
headings, that are specific words or terms
that describe the subject area covered in an article.
These can be very useful if you wish to find more
records similar to articles you have already found.
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|
| You
can carry out more effective searching by taking
note of relevant subject terms. Use the following
steps to identify relevant subject terms and retrieve
other records of interest. |
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1:
Find a record which covers the topic area you are
interested in
2: Note the subject
terms in that record
3:
Use these subject terms in a new search
to find similar records |
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| Example:
Using Subject Headings |
Do
a new search using the term greenhouse
emissions or Kyoto
Protocol to find more records covering
the same subject area as the one in the record
below.
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