Search Smart: Research Tips & Tricks

Elizabeth Geesey Holmes, MA., MSLIS

Librarian

November 5, 2009

CHOOSE THE RIGHT SEARCH ENGINE

Tip #1

When to use a General Search Engine

• Have unique keywords

• Not sure where to start

• Need broad/ general information

• Looking for a particular website/document

• Think information may be available somewhere for Free

General Search Engines

• Google– http://www.google.com/

• Bing – http://www.bing.com/

• Yahoo!– http://search.yahoo.com/

• Ask– http://www.ask.com/

Meta Search Sites

• Clusty– http://clusty.com/

• Dogpile– http://www.dogpile.com/

Specialized Search Engines

• Blogs

• News

• Images

• Videos

• Government

• Law

Google Search Engines

Click on Show Options

This brings up the list you see in the left hand sidebar

Then click on Videos

Keep in mind how Search Engines work

• Create a list of words by “crawling” the web

• Sift through this index of web pages

• Rank results using parameters of the query

• Every search engine does this a bit differently

Know what’s not included

• Content in sites requiring a log in• CGI output such as data requested by a form• Intranets and other pages not linked from

anywhere else• Sites that use technology to keep files and/or

directories off limits• Non-Web resources

USE ADVANCED SEARCH TECHNIQUES

Tip #2

Click on Settings and then on Search Settings

A. Check your settings

Click on Preferences Help

It’s worth taking a few minutes to read through both the Basic Search Help page and the More Search Help page.

B. Read Search Help

Phrase search for Barrington Fitness

C. Use Phrase Searches

Focus you search results with Search within results

D. Search within results

Add an additional keyword to refine your results

New focused searchand results list

Search exactly as is (+)E. Remember Google automatically searches for synonyms. Use + before a word to search precisely for that word.

Search for RI legislation retrieves both Rhode Island and RI

Use Advanced SearchF. Use Advanced Search

And

Or

Phrase

Not

Fill in the blanks (*)F. Use the asterisk to substitute for a word

The above search retrieves all of these different phrases

Evaluate your source

• Authority

• Accuracy

• Objectivity

• Currency

• Ease of Use

DON’T FORGET DIRECTORIES

Tip #3

What are Directories?

• Built by human selection

• Organized into subject categories

• Smaller than most search engines

• Often carefully evaluated and annotated

Directories to try out

• Librarians Internet Index: Websites you can Trust– http://www.lii.org

• Yahoo! Directory– http://dir.yahoo.com/

• Open Directory Search– http://www.dmoz.org/

You can search the Directory’s listings. Also note they have an Advanced Search

Or you can browse by subject categories

The Breadcrumb trail lets you know where you are

Results: reputable/go to sites for legal research

USE COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH SITES

Tip #4

Comprehensive Research Sites

• Good starting place for both primary and secondary information

• Cohesive organization

• Editorial selection

• Reliable information

Cornell Legal Information Institute http://www.law.cornell.edu/index.html

Zimmerman’s Legal Research Guides http://law.lexisnexis.com/infopro/zimmermans/

Justiahttp://www.justia.com/

Public Legalhttp://www.ilrg.com/

Law Library of Congress

http://www.loc.gov/law/

LLRXhttp://www.llrx.com/

ASK A LIBRARIAN

Tip #5

Library sub-site on OneSource

DON’T FORGET NON-BILLABLE DATABASES

Tip #6

Databases not billed to our clients

• LoisLaw

• HeinOnline (via the Mass Trial Courts Libraries)

• BNA tax and corporate databases

• AllRegs

• Mass/Bankruptcy Lexis Interface

• Check out their tutorials as well.

TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF OUR LEXIS CONTRACT

Tip #7

• Table of Contents

• Book Browse

• Get a Document

• Related Content

• Reference Attorneys

Click on Browse TOC to go to the Table of Contents

Time is money

• Pick any two:– Fast– Accurate– Cheap

• Fast, accurate & expensive

• Slow, accurate & cheap

• Fast, inaccurate & cheap

Thanks for your time!