Search Basics

Basic to Expert…

Database Searching

Searching the databases….

Beyond Wikipedia: Searching Databases2

BasicAdvancedSubjectPublicationImages


AdvancedSubjectPublicationImages

Basic / Keyword

Basic Screen


Useful when you have only a few search terms

Will potentially return a large number of results, unless the search term is very specific

*Note the different limiter options

Basic search screen - Gale


Basic search screen - Proquest


Basic search screen - Ebsco


Boolean Searching


ANDAND

OROR

NOTNOT

Boolean Searching


Use Boolean operators in the search box to string together multiple terms.

*Note the different number of results.

Simple search


Boolean “AND”


Boolean “OR”


Boolean “NOT”


Exact phrase *implied AND


Exact phrase *using quotation marks



Basic / Keyword

SubjectPublicationImages

Advanced

Why Use Advanced Search?


Multiple search boxesMenus of search fieldsBoolean operatorsMore limiters than Basic Search

(check drop-down menus)

Advanced Search: multiple fields


Advanced search: from drop-down menus


Advanced Search: link search terms to publication


Advanced Search: additional options


What are ‘limiters’?


Help narrow and focus a searchUse as many limiters as neededLimiters limit one another

EBSCO Limiters: by Date

23 Beyond Wikipedia: Searching Databases

Gale Limiters: by Date


ProQuest Limiters: by Date


More examples….


Publication Type Document Type Cover storyNumber of PagesPublication TitlePublication SubjectDocuments with Images

Other Limiter Options:



Basic / KeywordAdvanced

PublicationImages

Subject

Subject Search


Most magazine databases offer subject searching

Subject searches usually lead to more focused results than basic or keyword searching

Subject Search


BrowseBrowse

Subject Search:cont’d


Subject Search: subdivisions



Basic / KeywordAdvancedSubject

Images

Publication


Publication Search

Most newspaper/magazine databases provide searchable publication lists.

Some publications are ‘embargoed’.

Embargo:


An embargo means that the publisher is withholding the full text of certain issues, usually the most recent ones, until a later date.

For instance, Consumer Reports has full text articles in Masterfile, but the most recent 3 months are embargoed. This allows the publisher to sell his publication before it becomes available free of charge in the library.

And now …


1. How to search for a periodical title

2. How to add a periodical title to a search

3. How to find the description of a periodical

Publication Search


Browse

Publication + search term


and Trudeau(JN "Maclean's") Browse

Publication Description


Publication Description


Search Within This Publication


Basic / KeywordAdvancedSubjectPublication

Images

Images Search: EBSCO


Search

Images Search: EBSCO


Next….


How to work with the results of your searches…

Search Basics

Technology

Transcript of Search Basics