|
A search strategy is an organized plan for gathering information.
Developing a search strategy will help you locate appropriate information
from a variety of sources. For a research paper or speech, the following
is a useful search strategy:
- Choose a topic that interests you or has been assigned by a professor.
- Use general sources, such as encyclopedias
or textbooks, to define and focus the
topic, develop an overview and gather background information. The
bibliographies in these sources are usually excellent starting points,
since they provide a list of books and articles that are not only
pertinent, but also authoritative.
- Identify the main concepts of your topic and generate a list of
search terms and subject headings for each. Use these search terms
to search the topic in reference books, Galaxy, and electronic databases.
- Search Galaxy under the appropriate subject headings
and keywords to find books and journals in Fant Library.
Be sure to see if there are any bibliographies listed. These should be
examined first. Also, when you find a good book in Galaxy, check items with
the same subject or browse through books nearby on the shelf to find
additional books.
- Locate periodical indexes (See Periodical
Indexes in Module 3) that list useful journal, magazine, and
newspaper articles on the topic. Be sure to consult a reference
librarian to identify appropriate indexes for your topic.
- Use Galaxy to determine whether periodicals are available at
Fant Library. Remember to search Galaxy by
Title and type in the name of the journal, not the title of the article.
- Locate materials published by the U.S. Government See Government
Information in Module 1 .
- Locate biographical material and statistical resources through appropriate sources.
- Search the Internet. Be sure to keep a copy of what you
find if you refer to it or cite it; it might not be there when you or
your professor go back to verify its existence!
- Evaluate all sourcesSee Evaluating
Sources of Information: Module 6 carefully, especially information
you find on the Internet.
|
