General Search Strategies

The easiest way to search for information electronically is to enter a couple of

keywords into the search box of the resource and see what type of results you
get. This strategy, however, will often result in too few, too many, or irrelevant
results.
In order to retrieve the most relevant results, you will need to construct a search
string. A search string is a combination of keywords, truncation symbols, and
boolean operators you enter into the search box of an electronic library resource or
an Internet search engine.
Boolean searching is the traditional way to search for information in most online
databases and on the Internet. Boolean operators are connector words (AND, OR,
and NOT) used to create phrases and concepts based on specific rules of search
logic.
Operator Examples Results

Retrieves records that contain

AND business AND ethics
cookery AND Spain
hotels OR motels
OR
www OR world wide web
theater OR theatre
ALL of the search terms.
Retrieves records that contain
ANY of the search terms, but
does not necessarily include
all of them.

Excludes records containing

NOT java NOT coffee the second search term.
Clinton NOT (William OR Bill)

Google Search Strategies

If your initial search query does not produce the desired results, try these
search strategies:
Search Strategies Examples

Queries are not case sensitive. Barack Obama and barack obama will retrieve
the same results.

Keep search queries simple and descriptive and Use colorado statehood instead of when did
use as few terms as possible. Avoid natural colorado first become a state.
language queries as they can limit your results.
Google automatically truncates search terms. To A query on child retrives results with 'children"
prevent automatic truncation, use a + sign in front and "childcare".
of each term.

Use double quotations marks ("") to search A query on Barack Hussein Obama II will
terms as a phrase and narrow your results. Google retrieve only those sites that refer to Obama
will only retrieve results that have those exact by his full name. Sites that refer to him as
terms in the exact order typed. simply 'Barack Obama' may be overlooked.
Use the site: feature to limit your results to a The query cloning site:online.wsj.com will
specific website or class of websites. only retrieve articles about cloning from the
online version of the Wall Street Journal. A
query on cloning site:.gov will only retrieve
results within the government domain.
To allow for either of several words to appear in your A query on hotel OR lodging OR inn
results, use the OR operator. The operator must be in directories will retrieve any or all of the types
all caps. of directories mentioned.

Types of Primary Sources

What types of primary sources might have been produced that would be relevant to your topic?
Which persons or organizations might have produced materials?
Possible formats include:

 Books
 Photographs, images
 Magazines, newspapers
 Advertisements
 Movies, videos, DVDs
 Memoirs, diaries, journals
 Audio recordings
 Interviews, letters, speeches
 Research data, statistics
 Documents produced by organizations
 Documents produced by government agencies
 Criteria for Evaluating Sources
Criteria
Authority / Credibility
Determining the author for a source is important
in deciding whether information is credible. The
author should show some evidence of being
knowledgeable, reliable and truthful.
Accuracy
The source should contain accurate and up-to-
date information that can be verified by other
sources.
Scope / Relevance
It is important that the source meets the
information needs and requirements of your
research assignment.
Currency / Date
Some written works are ageless (e.g., classic
literature) while others (e.g., technological
news) become outdated quickly. It is important
to determine if currency is pertinent to your
research.
Objectivity / Bias / Reliability
Every author has an opinion. Recognizing this is
instrumental in determining if the information
presented is objective or biased.
Style / Functionality
Style and functionality may be of
lesser concern. However, if the source is not
well-organized, its value is diminished.
Questions to Ask
 Who is the author (person, company, or
organization)?
 Does the source provide any information that leads
you to believe the author is an expert on the topic?
 Can you describe the author's background
(experience, education, knowledge)?
 Does the author provide citations? Do you think
they are reputable?
 Can facts or statistics be verified through another
source?
 Based on your knowledge, does the information
seem accurate? Does it match the information
found in other sources?
 Are there spelling or grammatical errors?
 Does the source cover your topic comprehensively
or does it cover only one aspect?
 To what extent does the source answer your
research question?
 Is the source considered popular or scholarly?
 Is the terminology and language used easy to
understand?
 When was the source written and published?
 Has the information been updated recently?
 Is currency pertinent to your research?
 What is the purpose or motive for the source
(educational, commercial, entertainment,
promotional, etc.)?
 Who is the intended audience?
 Is the author pretending to be objective, but really
trying to persuade, promote or sell something?
 Is the source well-written and organized?
 To what extent is it professional looking?
 If it is a website, can you navigate around easily?
 If it is a website, are links broken?