Advanced Search Basics:Conducting basic searches using ProQuest Newsstand, Google and

Factiva

Katie ThompsonSJSU-SLIS, Fall 2012

LIBR 244 – Online SearchingTraining Packet

Key Terms

Truncation Ability to

retrieve different word endings, same root word:

IE: nurs* retrieves nurses, nursing, nurse

Controlled Vocabulary

Use terms already found in the database

Helpful for discovering synonyms, broad and specific terms, based on the need.

Fields Restricting

results to specific fields

IE: subject, title, author, publication, type

Building Blocks

Listing terms by “AND”-ing them, then narrowing down the concepts based on results retrieved.

Pearl Growing

An easy way to retrieve similar documents by looking at what has already been retrieved, modifying the search based on key terms seen in other results.

Requires multiple iterations...

Lawn Mowing

Starting out broad and narrowing down results by modifying your search terms.

How to Plan Your Search Searching doesn't have to be hard, it just requires planning and using the right tools...

Evaluate the question...what resource would be most appropriate?

What keywords should I search? Are there multiple concepts in the

reference question? If so, break them down to the key terms most applicable.

Also, are there synonyms for the terms used? Be sure to think about how the database you're using will break down the query.

Your Search Tool Belt

Boolean Operators: AND OR NOT Used to connect or distinguish

terms Grammy AND Adele Adele NOT Grammy

Proximity Operators: Varies by database or search

engine Used to locate terms within a

proximity of words IE: Grammy NEAR/5 Adele would

retrieve documents with Grammy within 5 words of Adele

Formulating Your Search

Now that you have identified your key terms, think about tools to use to maximize your results, remembering that the first query will not always be the best...

Would a simple Google search find you the quickest results?

Are those results adequate for the question?

Would a reference database provide “better” info?

ProQuest Newsstand

Search Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret News and other local and major newspapers.

Salt Lake Tribune – from 1990

Deseret News – from 2003

ProQuest Newsstand

Useful Components: Vast newspaper archive, including

local publications Obituaries section with simple

search form

Google Advanced Skills

How to Search: Good Things To Know Quotes are best used for proper

nouns, phrases or famous quotes, book titles, and lists

“To be or not to be”, “Rock and Roll Heaven”

AND OR Quotes around proper nouns or

phrases is equivalent to placing AND or + between words

OR assists in retrieving results that contain each or all words

Bicycle OR cycle OR bike

Google Advanced Skills

How to Search: Good Things To Know Use an asterisk, *, if you are

unsure of a specific word in a phrase or title

“To * a Mockingbird”, “the way the * crumbles”

Google Advanced Skills

Use AROUND to find words or phrases near each other (proximity operator)

Grammy AROUND Adele AROUND operator can be used to

search words or phrases within a certain proximity

Google Advanced Skills

Shortcuts Find stock prices quickly by using

the stock symbol and entering the symbol in the search box

Google = GOOG Apple = AAPL

Google Advanced Skills

Shortcuts Find definitions quickly by typing

“define” before the word in question

Define astrology

Google Advanced Skills

Filter image results by color! Depending on your information

need, filter your image results by clicking on the “search tools” button below your search box, click “any color” and filter your results

Factiva

Factiva hosts business information and news articles from thousands of sources.

A powerful research tool that requires an understanding of the database design and the use of your search tools.

Factiva

When To Use: Business

Information Stock Quotes

and Information

Newsworthy events and people

Research articles, journals

Find up to date stock info by looking at the “Companies & Markets” page.

Factiva

Company Snapshot provides an overview of a company with latest news, key developments, financial results and reports.

Helpful in providing credible overviews of companies and markets.

Factiva

Searching Factiva: KEEP IT SIMPLE! Use proximity operators Be aware of date delimiter Search for photos, too!

Get the most out of Factiva by using the Search Builder, formulating your search, using proximity operators, and looking at the controlled vocabulary terms, called Intelligent Indexing.

Factiva

Sample Search: A patron is interested in finding out about somewhat recent articles written about bed bugs and public libraries

Before we begin the search, let's think about our strategy...

Key Terms: libraries and bed bugs Proximity operators would be useful

in specifying that we need to find info about bed bugs in libraries, not just the two concepts...

Factiva

Sample Search continued... Use truncation to ensure you're

retrieving both library and libraries in your search

Use the “near” operator, n#, to specify proximity between terms

Factiva

Sample Search Results: 19 articles retrieved Ranked in order of relevance

Factiva

These results can be narrowed down even further based on the patron's needs

Narrowed by date, source, publication, company

If the patron felt that too few articles were retrieved, broaden the search to widen the word gap between libraries and bed bugs.

“Librar* near20 bedbugs”

Key Take-Aways Remember that where you search is just as important as what you search.

It's not practical to use Factiva or ProQuest Newsstand for a word definition, the same way Google is not always the best resource for finding out published information about libraries and bed bugs.

Create a search strategy before you begin your search...not only will you save time, but you will solidify what it is you are trying to find.

Key Take-Aways

Remember that you won't always find the answer with the first search; step back, refine your terms and strategy, and try again!

Utilize the tools available, such as proximity operators, controlled vocabulary terms, tutorials and help guides provided by the search engines and databases.

Now that you have your tools, search away!