Information retrieval is the activity of obtaining information resources relevant to an information need from a collection of information resources. Searches can be based on metadata or on full-text indexing.

You receive a comprehensive compilation of bibliographic citations and abstracts (where available) that are relevant to your research project, based on the key words and search terms used. The bibliographic search service enables you to obtain references to existing published work of relevance to your topic. It is vital that you are aware of all important publications and reports, in order that your research is based securely in the literature, and that you are not repeating someone else's work.

Online search is the process of interactively searching for and retrieving requested information via a computer from databases that are online Interactive searches became possible in the 1980s with the advent of faster databases and smart terminals. In contrast, computerized batch

searching was prevalent in the 1960s and 1970s.[1] Today, searches through engines constitute the majority of online searches. Online searches often supplement reference transactions.