Conducing successful library and internet searches
Using search strategies to find academic resources online can be very helpful. The best way to approach this is to start by thinking about what I need to locate. Start by searching in the form of a question and by considering important words that are related to the topic. Search directories such as yahoo, galaxy and excite are a good place to start these searches. While searching explore the sites found to generate ideas and useful key words. When one has exhausted the search directories then she can move on to search engines such as askjeeves, altavista, and hotbot.
A wise way to search is to vary the order of key words to expand ones search. If one wants to limit a search us Boolean Key operators such as “and”, “not”, and “or”. If one wants to include a word use a plus sign or to exclude a word use minus signs. To find documents with only an exact phrase use quotation marks. If one finds too many sites she may narrow the search by using more keywords. In the case that a person finds to few sites she may use fewer keywords to broaden the search. Make sure to book mark sites for easy access to return to the web site for future use. When one thinks she is finished the best thing to do is to move onto the next search directory to see what else may be available.
To use the university library start by deciding what type of media would best give the information one needs. Then read the descriptions to decide what database to use. If in need of help ask a librarian. The libraries copy write laws are clear. Do not photo copy materials, do not post in classroom newsgroups, and do not post on web sites. Only email materials to students, staff, and faculty members.
To evaluate the bias and strength of a source, start by evaluating the validity of the source. Ask yourself is the organization posing the information reputable? Look carefully to find out who the author is. What are the person’s credentials? Evaluate...