Deciding Which Search Tool to Use

University of Melbourne Library

Learning Objectives

• Support you to assess your information needs• Identify search tools available to support your

information seeking• Understand the scope and value specific tools

so you can utilize relevant tools to meet your needs

• Understand the value of planning your searches and approach

• How to access further support

What are the task requirements?Assess your information needs

Make a checklist of relevant source types based on the task requirements

Content from

the web

Books

Journal articles

How many search tools will you need to use?

How much has been

published about the

topic?

How much information do

you need? A defined

amount? Or a comprehensive

review?

What are the task

requirements?

Potential tools and approaches

Search the Library catalogue Search Discovery

Search a Multi-disciplinary

Database

Search Google Scholar

Search a subject specific database

Search within a journal or website

Use cited reference searching

Use Google Advanced Search

Overview of tools and approaches

There is usually more than one search tool suitable for retrieving the same type of information source.

Become familiar with the different tools and then select an approach which suits you and your topic.

A good starting point is within a multidisciplinary databases such as Discovery.

Improve your results by searching both multidisciplinary and subject specific databases.

Keep track of keywords, authors and journals in your field.

Recognised and become familiar with common database features such as limit options, print options, how to save results and save search strategies.

Search the Library Catalogue

You can confine your search to ebooks by selecting the Search for ebooks option.

Select the Search the entire collection option to include all material types and formats

Tip: Use a title search in the library catalogue to establish if we own a particular book, or subscribe to a journal title, or have access to a database.

Search Discovery

Discovery is a multidisciplinary tool, which can be an effective starting point for any topic. It can retrieve a range of material types such as, journal articles, and ebooks held in our collection.

Applying Limiters will allow you to

• limit the source types retrieved • the publication date range

retrieved• limit to peer review status• Find only full-text results

Watch the following videos available on the Databases page of the library guide

An introduction to Discovery searchAccessing full-text

Search a Multi-disciplinary Database

Multi-disciplinary Databases index material in the sciences, medicine, humanities and the social sciences.

• The cross-disciplinary nature of program evaluation means that broad search tools will useful

• If you are retrieving plenty of relevant literature about your topic, you may not need to search in further databases

How to access a database

STEP ONE: Access the database

STEP TWO: Start searching

Search a Subject Specific Database

Subject Specific Databases

Use these subject specific tools to retrieve articles about the application of program evaluation within a specific field, e.g. Education.

Search Google Scholar

Google Scholar is a powerful search tool, use it to supplement the results you retrieve from databases or as an alternative search tool.

You need to set preferences in Google Scholar to activate access to full-text paid for by the Library. Follow the steps outlined on the Databases Page of your library guide to make the Source it @ Melbourne links visible, so you can access the full-text content.

Access advanced search features

Use Cited Reference Searching

• A valid way to locate relevant literature and to focus your searching is to follow up on the work of a relevant paper, or an author, or investigate who has cited the original paper since it was published.

• Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar are recommended tools to support this approach, as they all offer a cited reference search feature.

Use Google Advanced Search

• The structured search form provided by Google Advanced search will help you to locate Grey literature, such as: websites; reports; policy statements and papers; conference proceedings; and government documents.

• View the Google Advanced Search slides on the Websites page of your library guide to learn about effective search techniques.

Search Websites

The Websites page identifies lists a range of relevant websites for Evaluation

Search Within a Journal

Confining your search to a particular journal title is another useful technique to target information.

If you identify a particular journal may be highly relevant to your topic, for example, a sample search reveals strong results for a particular title, it can be useful to search within this journal.

Planning your search methods will support you to search efficiently and effectively

• Assess your information needs before you start searching – make a check list of potentially relevant tools for the task including, multidisciplinary and subject specific databases.

• Devise search statements, complete some sample searches. • Reflect on your results and modify your approach by including

keywords and /or authors identified through your initial searches.• Consider options for focussing your search

Using a subject specific databaseby using cited reference searching searching within a journal

• Document your approach and track where you search.• Save full-text and citations for referencing as you search.

Need Help?

Find the contact details for your librarian on the Getting Started

page of your library guide Contact your Graduate

Online Support Consultant

Refer to your library guide