Advanced Search Lab - Prep
Introduction | Prep | Activity
Read ALL ABOUT pages (15 minutes)
Explore the ALL ABOUT: Library Database Terms page to learn:
- Common terms used in library contexts
Explore the ALL ABOUT: Controlled Vocabulary page to learn:
- What controlled vocabulary is and why it can help your research
- About a vocabulary’s creation and maintenance
- How to tell if the database you are accessing uses a controlled vocabulary
Explore the ALL ABOUT Search Operators & Wildcards to learn:
- How to build precise and powerful searches with Boolean operators
- How wildcards can add flexibility to your search
- Proximity operators, field operators, intensifiers, and more
Knowledge Check (2 minutes)
Are the following statements true or false?
- For any given topic, a controlled vocabulary offers one unique term.
- A vocabulary’s topic terms are always defined by the leading experts in that topic.
- Controlled vocabularies are neutral and unbiased.
Answer: All these statements are false. A single topic contains many terms and tag references. These terms and tags vary depending on the person indexing them. In many instances, these terms are not defined by experts. Whoever creates these terms often inflicts their own bias. This bias comes from limited knowledge, misconceptions, out-dated terminology, racism, and more.
Try to Answer the Following Questions (15 min)
- Similar searches, different results
What are the pros and cons of each method?
- "flipped classroom"
- flip* N5 classroom
Hint: think about which search will match to an article that uses the phrase “flipping the classroom.”
- Search operators and functions
What results do the following search entries yield?
- medication adherence hiv Links to an external site.
- medication AND adherence AND hiv Links to an external site.
- (medication OR treatment) AND (compliance OR adherence OR noncompliance) AND hiv AND kenya Links to an external site.
- medication | treatment compliance | adherence | noncompliance hiv kenya Links to an external site.
Note: the "|" character above is a "pipe" character, which you get by pressing shift and the \ key
Hint: Google often changes or drops search features and operators, and the company’s own documentation is not exhaustive. It’s a good idea to test searches to see if they’re doing what you think they are.
- Find the difference
If you want to find material on gene therapies, which would you choose, and why?
Bonus: For these two searches in question #3, how might you construct a search for one but not the other?
Hint: gene* therapy will include all the results you get for (gene OR genetic) AND therapy, plus some additional ones, too. Try using NOT to construct a search that shows you only those additional results. You want the results for gene* therapy but not for (gene OR genetic) AND therapy.
Introduction | Prep | Activity