LIB 1 F2F

Find it by Field Searching!

Searching in a database using different fields can be a powerful way to find relevant results.  A field is a specific part of a record in a database. Common fields that can be searched are:

If you already know the author of a specific article, entering their Last Name, First Initial in the author field will pull more relevant records than a keyword search. This will ensure all results are articles written by the author and not articles about that author or just with that author’s name mentioned anywhere in the record.

BUT WHY?

WARNING!  Nesting involves using parentheses to ensure that Boolean operations are performed in the sequence you intend. This technique allows you to build a complex search using two or more operators (AND, OR, NOT). CAUTION! You may not build a good search using more than one Boolean operator without using nesting.

Just like in Algebra, the placement of your parentheses is important in performing a search in the proper sequence.  It is a good practice to always place your OR search terms together, on one line, surrounded by parentheses.  For example: 

Boolean operators are connector words, such as AND, OR, and NOT, that are used to combine or exclude words in a search string for more focused results.

Truncation allows you to search for a root form of a word and pick up any ending. Sometimes words have different spellings, or you may need different forms of the word, such as singular and plural forms and different suffixes. By truncating a word, you will broaden your search and ensure that you retrieve all items containing a form of the word

Be careful where you place your wildcard:  Don't shorten your word too much or you may come up with entirely irrelevant results. 

GOOD:

Politic* will retrieve
 politic
 politics
 political
 politically
 politician
 politicians

BAD:

If you want all forms of the word culture, and you type cul*, you will retrieve the following that you don't want:

  cults
 cultivate
 culinary
 culminate
 culotte
 culprit

Differences Between Keyword and Subject Searches

So, how do I figure out which is the right tag to search for????

Use the Subject Guide/Thesaurus/Index to verify the subject tags to search for. It takes your term or phrase and suggests EXACT words or phrases used by the database to find articles on that topic. You’ll want to look up several terms that match your ideas in order to find the best terms “tagged” on your topic .

For example, if I search for the subject <Cat's Cradle> in ASC Subject Guide, it tells me to use  <String Figures> instead.

If I had just searched for Cat's Cradle, using the field limiter Subject, I wouldn't have had any results.

What if you want to search for articles about boys but there are multiple subjects and you're not yet sure of what exactly the search term might be.  You can type in <Boys*> (see Truncation) and, depending on the database you're in,  find all the subject headings with that word in it, including <Backstreet Boys (Musical Group)> and <Teenage Boys>.