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HSD 610: Human & Social Dimensions in Science & Technology Colloquium

Library and Internet resources for HSD topics.

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Introduction

Each database is different in how their search engine functions, what and how material is covered, and how results are displayed.  The although the search interface varies among the databases, there are a limited number of variants and each has it's own pecularities.   This section will give you a quick run down of the different types of interfaces and which databases use them. 

Single Search Box

The single search box is becoming the most common type of search box and you'll find it both in web-based search engines as well as library research databases. Databases such as Google and it's subsets, and Library One Search, use the single search box. 

  • Most single search boxes will automatically insert the boolean "AND" between any words put in the box

  • To search a list of words as a phrase, put quotes marks  ("") around the phrase

  • If the search engine accepts boolean operators (not all do) type the operators in CAPS
     
  • Keep the search simple - do not put synonyms in the search, instead, do separate searches for each synonym

  • Most single search boxes will display results in relevancy rank - if you want to see just the most recent relevant items, do not resort the results sets by date - instead, limit the set by year and keep it sorted by relevancy.

Advanced Search w/ Specific Fields

Many single search box engines (such as Google and Library One Search) will also provide an "advanced" search screen - this advanced search is almost always a screen that gives you search boxes for the different fields with in a record.  

  • Do not fill in all the search boxes, use only the minimum number for which you can still get good results.

  • The box that says "with these terms" (or something similar) is the same as the single search box, so follow all the suggestions single box searching. 

Advanced Search w/ Concept Boxes and Fields

The "three row/concept" is the easiest search form to work with when you know not only your concept terms but also their synonyms.   This type of interface is an "advanced" search interface most commonly found in traditional library research databases such as ABI/Inform, Compendex, or Inspec. 

 

 

  • Put one concept per row. 
     
  • In each row, use OR operator in between synonyms.
     
  • Use the field drop down menu to limit the concept to either the title or subject (controlled vocabulary, descriptor, etc.) as appropriate.

Navigation

Continue on to the next section "Keeping Current"


Return to the top of this page "Searching Tips"


Go back to the previous section "Where to Look"

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