Quick Tips & Shortcuts for Database Searching

Summary

This episode from 'Memoirs of a Modern Librarian' offers quick tips and shortcuts for more effective database searching. It highlights key tools such as Boolean operators, advanced search options, and limiters like full-text and peer-reviewed filters to refine search results. The video stresses the importance of using subject terms, narrowing searches with specific keywords, and taking advantage of citation tools in databases like EBSCO and ProQuest. Viewers are encouraged to experiment and contact librarians for help, making research more efficient and productive.

Takeaways

• 📚 Databases are powerful tools for research, providing reliable information, unlike search engines.
• 🔍 Many people struggle with using databases effectively and are unaware of their advanced features.
• 🛠️ Tip 1: Use the advanced search function for more specific searches with multiple keywords.
• 🤖 Tip 2: Use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to combine or exclude keywords in your search.
• 📑 Tip 3: Use full-text limiters and peer-reviewed filters to ensure you find complete, scholarly articles.
• ⚠️ Tip 4: Avoid searches that are too broad or too narrow by refining your keywords and using specific terms.
• 📝 Tip 5: Use quotation marks around compound terms to prevent the database from splitting them apart.
• 📘 Tip 6: Use the subject terms index or thesaurus in databases to find the best keywords for your topic.
• 📄 Tip 7: You can search within specific publications, like magazines, for focused results.
• 🖋️ Use the citation feature in databases to automatically generate citations in your preferred style.

Q & A

What are databases used for in research?

Databases are used for finding useful and reliable information on any given topic. They contain journals, newspapers, and other sources, many of which are peer-reviewed.

Why do many users struggle with databases?

Many users struggle with databases because they are often unaware of the many features databases offer. They are used to search engines like Google, which use simpler search interfaces.

How are databases different from search engines like Google?

Databases retrieve results based on specific keywords or subject terms, while search engines retrieve results using algorithms based on link popularity and relevance.

What is a Boolean operator and how is it useful in database searches?

Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) are used to combine keywords in database searches. They allow users to broaden or narrow searches, making results more relevant.

Why should users try the advanced search option in a database?

The advanced search option provides more than one search box and allows users to search multiple relevant keywords at once, offering more precise results.

What is the purpose of using quotation marks in a search query?

Using quotation marks around a compound term like 'social media' ensures that the database treats the terms as a single unit, rather than separating them, providing more accurate results.

How can users filter their search results to find full-text or peer-reviewed articles?

Users can filter results by checking the boxes for 'full text' and 'peer-reviewed' in the database, ensuring they only see articles that meet these criteria.

What should a user do if they are unsure of the best keywords for their topic?

If unsure, users can refer to the subject terms index or thesaurus in the database to find the most appropriate keywords for their search.

How can users search within a specific publication in a database?

Users can search within a specific publication, like a magazine or journal, by using the 'search within' feature for more targeted results on a particular topic.

What is the 'cite' feature in databases and how can it save time?

The 'cite' feature allows users to select a citation style and automatically generates the correct citation for use in their references or works cited page, saving significant time in research.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Database Searching Challenges

This paragraph introduces Vanessa Gra, who discusses common challenges users face when searching databases. She highlights the importance of databases as research tools, comparing them to search engines, and notes that many users are unfamiliar with the advanced features databases offer. The comparison between search engines and databases emphasizes that while search engines are convenient for general information, databases are more suited for scholarly research by providing more precise and peer-reviewed content.

05:02

🛠️ Tips for Effective Database Searching

This section provides practical tips for more effective database searches. It introduces the advanced search option, encouraging users to use multiple search boxes to combine relevant keywords. The importance of Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) is explained, showing how they help refine searches by connecting keywords, broadening, or narrowing results. Additionally, the paragraph advises users to utilize features like the full-text limiter and scholarly/peer-reviewed filters to ensure they access comprehensive and reliable sources.

🔍 Refining Your Search for Better Results

Here, Vanessa discusses the pitfalls of overly broad or narrow searches and offers solutions. The paragraph suggests using quotation marks around compound terms and adding specific keywords to narrow down results effectively. It also emphasizes the value of using database-specific features like subject terms or thesauruses to identify the best keywords. Examples are provided to demonstrate how these methods can help refine searches to yield more relevant and manageable results.

📰 Advanced Database Techniques and Shortcuts

This paragraph explores more advanced techniques for database searching. Vanessa suggests searching within specific publications for targeted results and introduces the citation feature, a major timesaver. This feature allows users to generate citations in the desired style, ready for inclusion in academic papers. The paragraph encourages exploring database features to streamline research processes and make database searching more efficient.

🎥 Conclusion and Additional Resources

The final paragraph wraps up the video, reminding viewers that database searching requires practice and experimentation. Vanessa encourages users to explore database features to improve their research efficiency and reassures them that librarians are available for assistance. The paragraph concludes by promoting additional videos in the series, which cover other aspects of information retrieval and research.

Keywords

💡Databases

Databases are organized collections of information, typically used for research purposes. In the video, databases are emphasized as essential tools for conducting academic research, providing reliable and peer-reviewed information. Unlike search engines, which rank results based on popularity, databases offer specific, curated content based on keywords and subject terms, such as journals and newspapers.

💡Search engines

Search engines, such as Google, are tools that retrieve information from the web using algorithms based on relevance and popularity. The video contrasts search engines with databases, explaining that while search engines are useful for finding websites, blogs, and wikis, they are not ideal for scholarly research due to the lack of academic filtering and peer review.

💡Boolean operators

Boolean operators are words used to connect search terms in a database query, including 'AND', 'OR', and 'NOT'. These operators help refine search results by combining, broadening, or excluding terms. The video explains their function, using examples like 'social media AND blogs' to narrow down results, and 'social media NOT wikis' to exclude irrelevant sources.

💡Advanced search

Advanced search is a feature in research databases that allows users to input multiple keywords or search terms simultaneously. This tool provides more precise results by letting users search in specific fields such as title, author, or subject. The video suggests using advanced search to conduct more refined and effective searches compared to the basic search option.

💡Full-text limiter

The full-text limiter is a database feature that filters search results to only display sources that include the complete text of an article, either in PDF or HTML format. The video advises using this tool when users want to access the entire content of a resource, as opposed to just abstracts or summaries.

💡Peer-reviewed

Peer-reviewed refers to articles or journals that have been evaluated by experts in the field before publication. These sources are considered reliable and credible for academic research. The video encourages users to use the peer-reviewed filter in databases to ensure that they are accessing high-quality, scholarly materials.

💡Subject terms

Subject terms are specific keywords or phrases used in databases to categorize and index content. Using the correct subject term is crucial for finding relevant research. The video explains how databases often have a thesaurus or subject term index that suggests alternative or more precise terms, such as using 'social networks' instead of 'social media' for more focused search results.

💡Limiters

Limiters are options in databases that allow users to narrow down search results based on criteria like publication year, source type, or subject. The video suggests using limiters to reduce the number of search results, making it easier to focus on the most relevant articles for a given topic.

💡Citation feature

The citation feature in databases automatically generates citations for articles in various styles, such as APA or MLA. This feature saves time by providing accurate references for academic papers. The video highlights this as a major convenience when preparing works cited or reference pages for research papers.

💡Trial and error

Trial and error refers to the iterative process of refining search strategies until relevant results are found. The video emphasizes that research in databases is not always straightforward and may require experimenting with different keywords, subject terms, and limiters to achieve the best results.

Highlights

Databases are valuable tools for research, offering numerous features to help users find reliable information.

Commonly used databases include EBSCO, ProQuest, and Springer Link, among others.

Many users struggle with databases, often due to a reliance on Google and search engines, which work differently from academic databases.

Search engines like Google use algorithms that prioritize link popularity and relevance, but they are not ideal for scholarly research.

Databases retrieve relevant results using specific keywords or subject terms, which can be further narrowed down with limiters like publication year, subject, and format.

Tip 1: Use the advanced search feature in databases to search for multiple relevant keywords at once.

Tip 2: Apply Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to combine keywords in a more focused way.

Boolean operators can either broaden or narrow a search, helping users refine their results more effectively.

Tip 3: To access entire articles, check the 'Full Text' box, which filters results to show only resources available in PDF or HTML.

Tip 4: Ensure results are scholarly by selecting the 'Scholarly' or 'Peer-reviewed' limiter.

Tip 5: Use quotation marks around compound terms (e.g., 'social media') to ensure the database searches for the phrase, not the individual words.

Tip 6: If unsure of the best keywords, use the 'Subject Terms' index or thesaurus available in databases to find more precise terms.

Tip 7: You can search within specific publications, such as a particular magazine or journal, to find articles on a topic of interest.

Many databases include a citation tool that generates references in different citation styles, saving time for researchers.

Research databases require some trial and error, but exploring their features and focusing searches will save time and improve results.

Transcripts

hi I'm Vanessa gra and this is from the

Memoirs of a modern librarian this

episode is on quick tips and shortcuts

for database searching databases are

great tools for doing research on any

given topic they are equipped with

numerous features that Aid the user in

finding useful and reliable information

some database platforms include Epco

proest Springer link and

more but here's the problem many people

struggle with using databases not only

that but many users are unaware of the

many features that databases have to

make searching more effective as we live

in a Google generation people tend to be

used to the single search box of search

engines though search engines are a

One-Stop shop for websites blogs wikis

and more they're not the ideal place for

doing scholarly research search engines

retrieve results using algorithms that

combine the popularity and relevance of

a link among other things on the other

hand databases retrieve relevant results

based on specific keywords or subject

terms used results can also be narrowed

based on number of limiters such as

publication year subject and format

databases contain journals newspapers

and other sources many of which have

undergone peer review many times a

person sees the default basic search

page of a research database and it

reminds them of the single search box

they see when using search engines and

the catch is they're not the same so

here are a few tips and shortcuts for

using databases tip number one try using

the advanced search within a database

this gives you more than one box and

allows you to search several relevant

keywords at once tip number two use the

Boolean operators and or not to combine

your keywords in a single search okay so

now I'm sure you're asking yourselves

what are Boolean operators Boolean

operators are used to connect your

keywords together and allow you to

broaden or narrow your search and allows

you to search two or more terms together

for example social media

and blogs or allows you to search two

more similar terms together for example

social networking and Facebook or

Myspace not allows you to exclude a term

from your search for example social

media not wiks tip number three if you

know you're looking for the entire

article check the box next to the full

text limiter this will give you the

results that include PDF or HTML full

text of the resource

also check the box next to scholarly or

peer-reviewed to ensure that you're

finding results and scholarly journals

tip number four be careful about doing a

search that is too broad or too narrow

if you were to search the keyword social

media and proquest Central you would see

that the database found over 4 Million

results obviously that's too many to

sift through but you may also notice

that not all of them are about social

media so here's another tip tip number

five use quotation marks around a

compound term in our example this

ensures that the database doesn't split

apart the words social and media also

try to be more specific and add another

keyword that focuses on a certain type

of social media such as blogs if you

find that you're still getting too many

results then look for where you can

narrow them down you can often narrow by

Source type publication year subject and

so on and don't forget to use those full

text and peer viwed

limiters tip number six if you're not

sure what the best keywords to use for

your research topic are try using the

subject terms index or thesaurus and a

database to find the best term for

example when we search for social media

in the subject terms area in epo's

academic Search complete we see that it

is an index subject term in that

database you can also find broader

narrower and related terms here however

when you search social media and the

thesis and proest Central we see that

social networks is the recommended

subject or keyword to use instead of

social media

tip number seven another way to use a

database is to search within a certain

publication for example you can do a

search within the magazine technology

review for articles on social

media once you find an article you want

in a database you can save print or

export it but a great shortcut that will

help you in the long run is the site

feature the site feature that many

databases have allows you to First

select the citation style you want then

it will create the citation that you

would use on your references or work

cited page in a paper this is a huge

timesaver so there are a few tips and

shortcuts to help make your database

searches a little easier and more

effective just remember that using

research databases is not an exact

science for the most part it's simply

trial and error but take the time to

explore the different features that

databases have and try to do more

focused searches it will save you a lot

of time in the long run as always if you

need help throughout the research

process don't hesitate to contact

librarian for help thank you for

watching this installment of from the

memers of a modern librarian be sure to

check out our other videos for your

information needs