Post on 15-Jul-2015
OutcomesAt the end of the workshop, you should be able to:
• search more efficiently
• get better results
• know where to look
• be less anxious about your research
“Finding information is hard….”
•What information am I looking for?
•Where will I find the information
•How will I get there?
•How good is the information?
•How will I ethically use the information
What type of information do I need, & where do I find it?
• Definition
• Basic overview
• Statistics etc.
Information type
• Book
• Govt. publications
• Wiki
• youtube
General source
• Library catalogue
How to find it
When do I need to use a database?
Bibliographic database
(aka “Literature database”)
indexed articles, subject specific
e.g.: Pubmed, Ebsco, Proquest
• Recent information
• Research
• Scholarly articles
Information type
• Academic literature
• Journal articles
• Theses, reports etc
General source
• Databases
• Google Scholar
How to find it
Ebsco
GaleProquest
Pubmed
•Most comprehensive in content
•Only Open Source full text
•Paid content = more full text available
•Not as broad coverage of journal articles
•FREE
•THINK Education subscription
Steps in finding information
1. Define your topic
2. Determine your search strategy
3. Find your citations
4. Get the full text article
how?!
Yes, but ……
Database
Full Text?
• Yes - YAY!
• No (see below)
Available at SSNT?
• Check library catalogue
• Ejournal? Print journal? Other database
• Check Google Scholar
Submit article
request
• Make sure you really need it
• Usually free, but occasionally not
• Can take up to 2 weeks so allow time
Steps in finding full text article
Search strategy
1. Define the keywords you can use
2. Start broad, progressively narrow down
3. Use search building techniques - synonyms, limiters
4. Note ‘clues’ in your results -jargon, exclusion terms etc.
5. Understand what your results mean
6. Repeat your search – be persistent, think laterally
Define keywords
• Topic analysis
• Keywords
• Synonyms, jargon, Latin form
• Context
Search building
• Phrase searching
• AND, OR, NOT
• Similar and Citing articles
UseLimiters
• Time frame (recent? historical? trending?)
• Type of literature (review article, clinical trials, news?)
• Gender , age, population , language
after….
before….
during….
So, in summary:
Review search results – again!
Search is an exercise in persistance!
If you don’t feel you’re getting results
Change databases
Change keywords
Change tactics
ASK YOUR LIBRARIAN FOR HELP – we’re experts!
“Analyse a case study on the use of black cohoshin menopause treatment”
• Cimicifuga racemosa
• bugwort
• Phytomedicine
• medicinal plants
• menopause
• Globally?
• Australia?
• Current? Historical? Trends?
• “case study”
• “black cohosh”
• “Cimicifuga racemosa”
• ”Medicinal plants”
Phrases Context
Synonyms
Boolean Truncation Phrase searching
• AND• NOT• OR
Using these in your search can force exclusions or inclusions
e.g: tablet NOT computer
Pathol*
Searches for:• Pathology• Pathologist• Pathological
Compare this googlesearch:
arm pressure points= 22,600,000 results
“arm pressure points”= 15,100 results
Simply phrasing your search can focus your results enormously.
Some search techniques
Use Advanced Search
Almost all databases and search engines have
advanced search options
Provides many more fields to
help you refine your search
Reading your results
1. Suggested subjects
2. Type of document
3. Abstract or Full text
4. Abstract text
5. Refining options