Upload
cori-rosaline-phelps
View
223
Download
3
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
DOING RESEARCH IN THE ANDERSEN LIBRARY, UW-WHITEWATER
Martha StephensonReference & Instruction Librarian
WHAT IS A DATABASE?
An database is an online index of citations, sometimes containing complete articles or other full text.
Examples:
Academic Search Complete (EbscoHost)JSTORLexisNexis
THESIS STATEMENT, ISSUE, QUESTION How have cell phones effected social
interaction between teenagers?
cell phones
social interacti
on
teenagers
cellphonessocial
aspectsadolescents
cellular telephones
young adults
mobile phones
children
BRAINSTORM
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)
phonesFinds=4053
cell AND phonesFinds=1775
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
cell Finds=2474 cell OR cellular
Finds=3343
KEYWORD TIP #4: PHRASES
Quotation Marks “ ” 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)
cell AND phones Finds=1775 “cell phones”
Finds=1223
KEYWORD TIP #3: USE TRUNCATION
Truncation Use to find various endings of a word Place symbol at the end of the root word Broadens search (finds more results) Symbol varies among databases Be careful of placement!
phone* = phone, phoned, phones, & 30 other words
cat* = cat, cats, catatonic, catalytic, catastrophic, & 250 other words
KEYWORD TIP #5: COMBINATIONS
Nesting in Databases Use to assure search runs correctly when
using both ANDs & ORs Like in algebraic equations Place OR/synonym part in parentheses
(“cell phone*” OR cellphone*) AND teen*