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Searching Databases and the Web

The document provides guidelines for effectively searching databases at the University of the West Indies, emphasizing the importance of using precise keywords that match the desired information. It explains various search techniques, including the use of boolean operators, truncation, and controlled vocabulary to refine search results. Additionally, it outlines the differences between keyword and subject searching, as well as the impact of stopwords on search effectiveness.

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CyBeRPhAnToM 001
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2 views

Searching Databases and the Web

The document provides guidelines for effectively searching databases at the University of the West Indies, emphasizing the importance of using precise keywords that match the desired information. It explains various search techniques, including the use of boolean operators, truncation, and controlled vocabulary to refine search results. Additionally, it outlines the differences between keyword and subject searching, as well as the impact of stopwords on search effectiveness.

Uploaded by

CyBeRPhAnToM 001
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, WEST INDIES


CAMPUS LIBRARIES
ALMA JORDAN LIBRARY: AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES DIVISION
Searching Databases

To retrieve information
 The words used when searching a database must match the words in the field.
For example, if you want info on “adolescent”, using “teenager” or “youth” will not necessarily retrieve the
record you want.
 Define your question carefully e.g. is there a relationship between weight problems and computer use in
teenagers?
 Choose the keywords for that question e.g. weight, problems, computer, teenagers.

Common types of simple searches using field searches


 Author  Subject
 Title  Keyword
E.g. If you know an author but not the title, you can search the author field for all the records by that author

Searching Databases
 Select keywords – use both scientific and common names
 Try not to be too general as you may get too many references.
 Try not to be too specific as you may miss relevant references.
 Some ways of controlling the number of records found:
o use of connectors (boolean operators i.e. AND, OR, NOT)
o use of truncation e.g. infect* will find terms like infected, infecting
o Use wildcards e.g. wom?n searches for women and woman
 Always refer to the help features to get the most out of the database

Controlled Vocabulary/Thesaurus
 … is a carefully selected list of words and phrases, used to tag units of information so that they can easily
retrieved by a search
 E.g. US National Library of Agriculture thesaurus or FAO’s AGROVOC: http://www.fao.org/aims/ag_intro.htm

Limits
Many databases will allow searches with in Limits
 Date: can limit your search to a particular year or a year range.
 Language – English or other language, all languages
 Format – brief citation, with abstract, with full-text
 Age – in ranges or children/adult
 Gender – male / female or both

Keyword vs. Subject searching


Keyword /low precision-high recall Field/high precision- low recall
Searches different parts of the record, including Searches only subject heading/descriptor field
title and abstract Searches from an existing list of subject
Searches for any word or phrase headings
May retrieve irrelevant records High degree of relevancy
Good for obscure topics Good for common topics

Stopwords
... are terms that appear so frequently that they lose their usefulness as search terms are ignored if you
search for them in combination with another word e.g. The, An, A, In

Shamin Renwick. Oct 2013

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