Introduction to Research in the Andersen Library, UW-Whitewater

Martha StephensonReference & Instruction Librarian

Overview of Your VisitMini-tourUniversity homepageLibrary homepageKeyword search tipsDatabases for articlesHands on time

Look in Andersen Library databases to find articles

What is a database?A database is an online index of

citations, sometimes containing the complete article, too.

Examples:Academic Search Complete

ComDisDome

JSTOR / Project Muse

Sage Premier Journals

More about this later.

1. Turn on the clicker using the GO or CH button

2. To vote, press the number of the response you want

3. The light will flash when your vote has been recorded

4. You can change your vote as long as voting is open

5. Only one vote per clicker is counted

How to Use your Clicker

Are you a Warhawk?

yes n

o

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1. yes2. no

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Tips to Save You Time: Find Info Fast

How to Find What You Want1. Thesis statement(s), issues,

questions2. Brainstorm synonyms 3. Formulate search strategy4. Types of sources needed?5. Find appropriate index6. Conduct searches7. Find information8. Evaluate9. Read & Synthesize10. Cite

Thesis, Issue, QuestionWhat is being done to help students with ADHD in schools?

ADHD School

attention deficit hyperactivity

disordereducation

classroom

university

college

BRAINSTORM

To require that two or more words are in the search results, what connecting word would you use?

and o

r n

ot

Not s

ure

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1. and2. or3. not4. Not sure

Keyword Tip #1: Use AND

And◦Use to connect different

concepts◦Both concepts will be in the

results◦Narrows search (finds fewer,

more on target results)

adhdFinds=2,063

adhd and classroomFinds=254

To require that at least one of several words is in the search results, what connecting word would you use?

and o

r n

ot

Not s

ure

0% 0%0%0%

0 of 30

1. and2. or3. not4. Not sure

Keyword Tip #2: Use OR

Or◦Use to connect similar concepts◦At least one term will be in the

results◦Broadens search (finds more

results, is more thorough)◦Saves time by doing several

searches in one

schoolFinds=530,208

school or university Finds=656,405

How would you write a search that requires a phrase to appear in the search results?

(hig

h sc

hool)

“hig

h sch

ool”

+hig

h sc

hool+

hig

h sch

ool*

Not s

ure

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1. (high school)2. “high school”3. +high school+4. high school*5. Not sure

Keyword Tip #4: Phrases

Quotation Marks “ ” / As a Phrase◦Use when words often or always

occur in a specific order◦All words inside the quotes will be

in the results, in the exact order used

◦Narrows search (finds fewer, more on target results)

high and schoolFinds=137,919

“high school” Finds=82,509

You want to find a root word with all possible endings. Which of the following will do “truncation” for you?

univ

ersi

t*

(uni

vers

it)

“univ

ersi

ty”

univ

ersi

ty o

r ...

Not s

ure

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1. universit*2. (universit)3. “university”4. university or college5. Not sure

Keyword Tip #3: Use Truncation

Truncation◦Use to find various endings for a

word◦Place symbol at the end of the root

word◦Broadens search (finds more

results)◦Symbol varies among catalogs &

databases◦Be careful of placement!

school* = schools, schooling & 47 other words

cat* = cat, cats, catatonic, catalytic, catastrophic, & 250 other words

Keyword Tip #5: Combinations

Nesting (works like below in databases)◦Use to assure search runs

correctly when using both ands & ors

◦Like in algebraic equations◦Place or phrase in parentheses

(adhd or “attention deficit hyperactivity disorder”) and universit*

This keyword search did not find many results: “juvenile crime” Which of these keyword searches would probably find more results on the same topic?

“juve

nile c

rim...

(juve

nile

* or .

..

why

do ki

ds co

...

don't

know

0% 0%0%0%

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1. “juvenile crime” and jails and wisconsin

2. (juvenile* or child* or teen*) and crime

3. why do kids commit crimes?4. don't know

What questions do you have?