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Empower - Module 3 - Building Search Strategies

Search Fields

Search Fields

 

Where searches are launched in:

  • Search Engines
  • Library Databases
Search Engines provide:
  • One Field
Library Databases provide:
  • Multiple Fields
  • Each searches for a different thing

Keyword

 

  • Most familiar search field
  • Common default search field

Look to your Keyword list for a great starting point.

Pro: Can be any word or short phrase

 

Con: Casts a very wide net; Be ready to sort through many irrelevant results

Subject

 

  • Searches tagged Subjects
  • Subjects are often hyperlinked in database records

 

Pro: Increases your search results' relevance

Con: Must type exact term in the search field

Use Keywords to Identify Subjects:

 

Step 1: Conduct a Keyword search

Step 2: Find 2-4 results that are relevant to your research

Step 3: Open the results' records and scan the provided Subjects

Step 4: Identify and list which Subjects are relevant to your research

Step 5: Search for those listed terms using the Subject search field

Author

 

  • Searches for items written by a specific Author
  • Type Last Name, First Name for best results

 

Pro: Great way to find items with generic titles (i.e. Psychology or American Literature)

 

Con: Dramatically reduces the number of results

Title

 

  • Searches for words within an item's Title
  • Put Titles in "quotation marks" to find specific items (i.e. "The Wind in the Willows")

 

Pro: Great to use when a specific article or book is needed

 

Con: Dramatically reduces the number of results

Additional Search Fields:

 

Table describing additional search fields available in databases: The search field, ISBN, only applies to Books. It usually appears as a list of thirteen numbers, like 9789390175024. The search field, ISSN, only applies to full Periodicals. It appears as a list of eight numbers divided into two sets of four by a dash, like 0043-8200. The search field, Source Type, searches for specific kinds of sources, like Newspapers or Books. The search field, Abstract, only searches for words that appear in items’ abstracts. It usually returns more results than a Subject search but fewer results than a Keyword search. The search field, Industry, searches for items published by specific industries. This is a useful search field when your Keywords may have multiple definitions. The search field, Geography, searches for items published in specific countries. This removes results that may be from a geographically irrelevant region for your research question.

 

Different databases offer many other Search Fields.

Do not be afraid to try them!

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