Review of Concepts

• What is a keyword?• How are keywords different from subjects?• Name the three Boolean Operators. How do

they work?• The Boolean Operator ‘OR’ connects what type

of keywords?• How do keyword phrases work?• What are the two functions of wildcards?• Name the three most useful database limiters.

Select Research Topic

Brainstorm for Keywords

Develop a Search Strategy

Search for Books (Catalog)

UP THE RESEARCH LADDER…

Search for Articles (Database)

Periodicals List

• Does the library have accessibility to this article?

• YES or NO?

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCHOLARLY AND POPULAR

PERIODICALS

POPULAR MAGAZINESPOPULAR MAGAZINES

COME IN MANY FORMATS, BUT USUALLY SOMEWHAT SLICK AND ATTRACTIVE IN APPEARANCE

RARELY CITE SOURCES. INFO. IS USUALLY REPORTED FROM SOURCE, SUMMARIZED

ARTICLES SHORT, WRITTEN IN SIMPLE LANGUAGE AND FOR A MINIMAL EDUCATION LEVEL

USUALLY LOT OF ADVERTISING AND PICTURES

PAGINATION RESTARTS IN EVERY ISSUE

SCHOLARLY JOURNALSSCHOLARLY JOURNALS

HAVE A SOBER, SERIOUS LOOK

ALWAYS CITE THEIR SOURCES IN FOOTNOTES/BIBLIOGRAPHIES

ARTICLES WRITTEN BY A SCHOLAR OR RESEARCHER “HORSE’S MOUTH”

PEER-REVIEWED BY SCHOLARS

LANGUAGE OF JOURNAL ASSUMES SOME SCHOLARLY BACKGROUND ON THE PART OF READER

ADVERTISING IS SPECIFIC TO THAT DISCIPLINE

PAGINATION IS CUMULATIVE

Keyword vs. Subject

• Flexible• Less accurate• Affected by

punctuation• Works with truncation

and Boolean Operators

• Rigid• Very precise• Not affected by

punctuation• Doesn’t work with

truncation and Boolean Operators

Keyword Phrase

• (to be or not to be)– to be or not to be– (find nothing)

• “weapons of mass destruction”– weapons and mass and destruction– (find info on WMDs and a bunch of junk like

hand guns, knives, scientific measurement, physics, natural disaster, house fire, etc.)

AND vs. OR

• Narrows• Works with any

keyword or keyword phrase

• Expands• Works especially well

with related terms and synonyms

NOT• Excludes• Can work for you and against you!