Your ability to find the right information can help you to impress your boss, and be more effective in your workplace.
Did you know the strategies you use with Library Search can also be used in other search engines, like Google?
Target your search with three simple steps:
1. Identify the key concepts of your topic.
2. Brainstorm alternative keywords.
3. Combine your keywords using search techniques.
Get to the core of your topic by figuring out what the key ideas are. Knowing exactly what you’re looking for will help you to plan a search that leads to the most relevant results.
When searching for information you need to know what your key concepts are. Identify the three key concepts you would search for in the statement below?
Click, hold and drag to highlight the concepts. NB. concepts may be more than one word.
Note - Please make sure you check your answer to complete the activity and record your result
There can be many different ways to say the same thing, so remember that your search concepts are often known by many different terms. To cast a wider net with your search, include all the synonyms you can think of for your keywords.
Using a range of alternate keywords will help you to find more search results. Combining those keywords using AND, OR or NOT will provide results that are more relevant to your question. The Library’s Search Tips web page (opens in new tab) outlines search techniques that can be used both in library databases and web based search engines.
A colleague asks you to find information about social networking sites leading to cultural change in young adults. How would structure your search? If you need help, refer back to the Library’s Search Tips web page. (opens in new tab)
Drag the suggested keywords below into spaces provided to complete the following search.
Note - Please make sure you check your answer to complete the activity and record your result