Search+for+Information


 * Free Web**: Search Engines and Web Directories are used to find information available on the Free Web. Information in the form of webpages, blogs, and wikis can be added by anyone with a computer and internet access. Be prepared to evaluate Free Web resources based on the following criteria: currency (when was the page/site created or updated), authorship (who wrote it and what are their credentials), relevance (does the information support your thesis or answer your questions), and accuracy (can facts, statistics, etc. be verified elsewhere).


 * Invisible Web: ** Specialized databases are used to find information on the Invisible Web. Generally these databases contain information that was first published in print. Being published in print means they have been [|vetted] by professionals which provides you with authoritative, reliable sources. Many times these databases require a fee and/or a username and password for access although there are many free ways to get to Invisible Web resources (i.e. Google Scholar). A great place to find invisible web resources is at the library.

Magazines, Newspapers, and Academic Journals: What's the difference?
Author: Journalists/Generalists Audience: General Review: Editor/Generalist Author: Journalists/Generalists Audience: General Review: Editor/Generalist Author: Scholars Audience: Scholars Review: Scholars Academic Journals are...
 * Newspapers**
 * Magazines**
 * Academic Journals**
 * In a nutshell...**
 * reviewed by specialists in their field of study.
 * unique because they are written by and for scholars.
 * written for a specific academic discipline or field.

You will also hear of academic journals that are "refereed" or "peer-reviewed". Peer-reviewed journals are published through a "blind-review" process. In order to eliminate bias, the name of the author is not included when the article is reviewed. This insures that articles in peer-reviewed journals are based solely on their value to the discipline, not on who the author is or where she works.

Finds search term(s) in any part of the record. A keyword search will usually return a large number of hits, but with less precision. Keyword searches are best when looking for information about current issues or when you are using jargon.
 * Keyword Search **
 * Example**: To search for items that have the word "rainbow" anywhere in their description, type **rainbow**.

Finds search term(s) only if it exists as a subject. A subject search will usually return a smaller number of hits, but with higher precision. To search for works **about** John Steinbeck, type **steinbeck**.
 * Subject Search**
 * Example**: To search for information about computers, type **computers**.

BIG TIP: SLOW DOWN. Take 30 seconds to look at a web page and what it can do. Will it create a citation for you? Is there an RSS feed? Can you print or email the page? Use any help it will give you, especially how to search its contents efficiently. It might give you the following ideas: A question mark ( **?** ) replaces a single letter within a word.
 * Refine your Search**
 * Example**: A search on **wom?n** finds both "woman" and "women."

An asterisk ( * ) replaces any number of characters at the end of a word.
 * Example**: A search on **teach*** finds "teach," "teacher," "teaches," and "teaching."


 * The best strategy for searching a phrase on the web is to use quotation marks.**
 * Example**: "genetic engineering" "protestant reformation"

Named for mathematician George Boole, **Boolean operators** AND, OR, NOT combine terms in logical ways to expand or narrow a search. An advanced searcher could put together a query like this, (("teen" OR "teenager" OR "adolescent") AND "drugs" NOT "prescription")
 * Boolean Operators**
 * AND** narrows a search by requiring all terms to be present in results. ("protestant" AND "reformation")
 * OR** expands a search. It is mainly used for synonyms and related words, like ("genetic engineering" OR "bioengineer")
 * NOT** narrows a search by excluding terms, like ("eagles" NOT "philadelphia")