Search Methods
Before you can start your research, you need to know how to search. Here is a quick run down of some of the search methods and techniques that you can use to navigate different search engines and databases both inside and outside of the university's collections. You can find a more comprehensive guide to honing and refining your search techniques in the Searching the Literature section of the Research Skills LibGuide
Types of Searches
Keyword Search
The most basic type of search and the one most people will be familiar with is the keyword search. Keywords are the essential terms within your given research topic or question and are the foundation of any search method. It is worth thinking about your keywords before you being your search - what are the synonyms for your keywords? Are there any acronyms or abbreviations that you need to consider? Is there a difference between technical and vernacular terms for your given keywords? Keep a list of what keywords you've used and add to it as you revisit your search over the course of your research project.
Phrase Search
The phrase search is similar to the keyword search. When you use a keyword search the search engine will search for every word individually. By bracketing a specific phrase within quotation marks (eg. "quotation marks") you can search for specific concepts that take more than one word to express and add these phrases to your list of keywords.
Boolean Search
Boolean searches are structured to allow you to combine keywords or phrases by inserting words such as AND, OR or NOT to broaden, limit, or define your search
Truncated Search
Truncation is a technique that allows you to search for words with the same root. By simply adding an asterisk at the end of a root - say edu* - you can find results for words such as educate, educational and educator. This same method can be used to manoeuvre around differences in spelling - for example, globali*sation would find you both globalisation and globalization
Refining your Search
Remember that you can augment your search to target different types of publications, authors, fields, databases, and date ranges, and that you can come back to your search at any time or set search alerts to let you know when more material emerges relevant to your search. The Systematic Reviews LibGuide is an excellent place to start if you are keen to familiarise yourself with more advanced search techniques specific to working on a long term projects.
Image credits
Image credits
Close-Up Shot of Pink Computer Keyboard, riko via Pexels
Start Now, Sincerely Media, via Unsplash
2 Pieces of the Puzzle, Vardan Papikyan, via Unsplash