Develop search strategies suitable for the particular database you are using:

Transcription

1 Develp search strategies suitable fr the particular database yu are using: Check the help pages t make sure yu knw hw best t search the database With yur research questin in mind, find search terms Cnsider using spelling variants r emplying wildcards/truncatin? What synnyms, brader r narrwer terms are there that might help yu find mre/fewer results What are the special terms used by the scientific cmmunitiy? (e.g. "L2", "secnd language"?) Find descriptrs via index r thesaurus In what language can yu usefully search (English? Deutsch?) Is spelling relevant? Case-sensitive? Are wrds next t each ther searched as a phrase r d yu need t use inverted cmmas t indicate that wrds next t each ther are a phrase nly (secnd language r "secnd language")? Are wrds next t each ther searched as a phrase r are they autmatically cmbined by the AND peratr? Are there "stp wrds" (e.g. "and", "the", ) which are nt searched? Descriptrs r keywrds? Frmulate searches (Blean Operatrs; Prximity Operatrs; Nesting; search, field search, cmbining searches; cmplex searches/expert searches using the search syntax f the database) 8

2 FIND SEARCH TERMS Research questin: CONCEPTS SYNONYMS BROADER TERMS NARROWER TERMS ALTERNATIVE SPELLINGS DESCRIPTORS IN LLBA 9

3 Explanatins: Blean Operatrs (AND/OR/NOT): ( ) aus GeRef Tutrial der UIUC Gelgy Library; University f Illinis at Urbana-Champaign Operatr Meaning Example and r nt Bth terms must be in the recrd. One r bth f the terms must be in the recrd. The term after the peratr must nt be in the recrd. Searching fr "lingua franca and English language" will return nly recrds that cntain bth phrases--lingua franca and English language. Searching fr "lingua franca r English language " will return recrds that cntain either phrase-- lingua franca r English language --r bth phrases. Searching fr "lingua franca nt English language" will return recrds that cntain the wrd lingua franca but d nt cntain the phrase literature. English language Adapted frm "Searching the MLA Internatinal Bibligraphy" Hme > Publicatins > MLA Internatinal Bibligraphy > Hw t Use the MLA Internatinal Bibligraphy > Searching the MLA Internatinal Bibligraphy ( ) Pictures taken frm "Searching Skills: terminlgy and cncepts; the search prcess; tutrials" ( ) 10

4 ESP special languages disurse genre classrm Nesting: Use brackets t frmulate search z.b. ( discurse AND classrm ) AND ( special languages OR ESP) NOT genre Prximity Operatrs: define prximity f search terms t each ther, z.b. dictinary w1 "English language" English language dictinary, dictinary f English language nuns, English language prnunciatin dictinary, Keywrd (Stichwrt): a wrd that ccurs in the database entry, anywhere r in a particular search field (e.g. title keywrd); des nt necessarily refer t what a text is abut. Descriptr (Schlagwrt/Deskriptr): term that is part f the cntrlled vcabulary used t describe the tpic f a bibligraphic recrd Wildcard &Truncatin (Trunkierung) A wildcard replaces a sign by any ther - e.g. practi?e = practice, practise, practize, Use truncatin iat the beginningg r end f a search terms allws fr variants t be searched: e.g. theat? der theat* theater, theatre, theatrical, theatr Thesaurus: List f descriptrs (an alphabetical list r giving brader and narrwer terms) Expert search/cmmand search: Frmulate searches using the database syntax. Ex.: au=(ritchie) AND ti=(handbk f secnd language acquisitin) wpe=ritchie AND wti=handbk f secnd language acquisitin 11

5 (3) Managing Results T many r t few braden r narrw yur searches Cmbine tw r mre sets f results using Blean Operatrs Dwnlad, print r results Save searches and set alerts with the help f yur wn database accunt (e.g. My EBSCOhst) Imprt results int EndNte, RefWrks r similar desktp publishing prgrammes t avid having t retype them fr yur list f references (4) Frm the result t finding the (full) text Frm bibligraphic citatin in database via SFX buttn a list f links cnnects yu t the full text, t catalgues and ther nline resurces Bk titles Search the University Library nline catalgue the Austrian Unin Catalgue (Verbundkatalg) (Austrian academic libraries= der the KVK (Karlsruher Verbundkatalg - a metacatalgue - search catalgues wrld wide) Bk articles Search fr the bk (see Bk titles) Articles in Jurnals (1) Use the SFX Citatin Linker (2) Lk fr the jurnal in: (2.1.) the Jurnals and Series Unin Subcatalgue (Verbundkatalg Zeitschriften und Serien) and find hldings in Austrian academic libraries - yu will be linked t the libraries' nline catalgues t learn abut their hldings. (2.2.) Search the DZB (t find ut whether a jurnal is available in Germany fr interlibrary lan) (2.3.) Lists f nline jurnals, e.g. EZB, SFX List, List f Jurnals in MetaLib SFX Citatin Linker "The SFX citatin linker is a quick tl t find jurnal articles, bks r jurnals withut searching databases r catalgues first. If yu get a citatin, yu can use the SFX citatin linker t access a menu f links which may include a shrtcut link t the nline full-text r may lead yu t the jurnal r bk in the Vienna University Library catalgue. If these ptins are unavailable, the menu f links will allw yu t access further nline infrmatin." Example: Azuma, S "The frame-cntent hypthesis in speech prductin: Evidence frm intrasentential cde switching." Linguistics 31,

6 Use the SFX citatin linker t lcate the jurnal article and the nline catalgue t lcate the bk article: Harringtn, M "Wrking memry capacity as a cnstraint n L2 develpment." In Harris, Richard Jacksn (ed.) Cgnitive prcessing in bilinguals. Amsterdam: Elsevier, Birdsng, David. "Ultimate Attainment in Secnd Language Acquisitin." Language 68, (5) Full text unavailable in Vienna ( ) ILL - Interlibrary Lan: Fernleihe: Preferably search in KVK (Karlsruher Virtueller Katalg (KVK)) - Register in nline catalgue and fill in frm- cllect items in the ILL department in the Main Library. Dcument delivery services: Dissertatins: If yu wish t buy access t dissertatins bibligraphic references yu may have fund in the LLBA yu may wish t buy access t electrnic versins r paper cpies. G t the Library database service and try t d s via the PrQuest Digital Dissertatins and Theses database, which includes the Disseratatins Abstract database. Nt all theses are available fr purchase, hwever. 13

7 (6) RESEARCH SKILLS EXERCISE - keywrd r descriptr? keywrds: "A significant wrd r phrase in the title, subject headings (descriptrs), cntents nte, abstract, r text f a recrd in an nline catalg r bibligraphic database that can be used as a search term in a freetext search t retrieve all the recrds cntaining it. [ ] Mst nline catalgs and bibligraphic databases include an ptin that allws the user t type wrds that describe the research tpic (in any rder) and retrieve recrds cntaining the search terms in the data fields the system is designed t search whenever the keywrds ptin is selected. One disadvantage f a keywrds search is that it des nt take int accunt the meaning f the wrds used as input, s if a term has mre than ne meaning, irrelevant recrds (false drps) may be retrieved." Reitz, Jan M. "keywrd(s)". ODLIS Online Dictinary fr Library and Infrmatin Science (11 April 2008) Why chse t d a keywrd search? If yu search fr smething very specific, a cncept nt yet established in the field r smething unusual, there may nt be a subject term r nne precise enugh. descriptrs: cntrlled vcabulary terms, standardized terms, subject terms - describe cntents. There is nr crdinatin acrss databases, hwever. If descriptrs are allcated in a database accrding t a hierarchical system, the ptin t search fr brader, narrwer and related terms may help t retrieve relevant results. (Use the thesaurus - if available - t find these terms.) Why chse t d a subject term search? Yu can make sure that the results yur search retrieves are relevant and avid missing imprtant literature because yur keywrd search has nt cvered the subject fully Hw d a subject term search? Find descriptr with help f index list r thesaurus. (6.1.) Dickinsn, Emily keywrd descriptr 14