Exercise: Google Searches
Go to the advanced search option in Google.
Take a look at the options Google provides to refine your search. Compare this to the basic Google search box. One of the best ways you can become a better searcher for information is to use the power of advanced searches, either by using these more complex search screens or by remembering to use Boolean operators, phrase searches, truncation, and other options available to you in most search engines and databases.
While many of the text boxes at the top of the Google Advanced Search page mirror concepts already covered in this chapter (for example, this exact word or phrase " allows you to omit the quotes in a phrase search), the options for narrowing your results can be powerful. You can limit your search to a particular domain (such as edu for items from educational institutions) or you can search for items (with attribution, of course ) by making use of the "usage rights “option. However, be careful with some of the options, as they may excessively limit your results. If you aren’t certain about a particular option, try your search with and without using it an compare the results. If you use a search engine other than Google, check see if it offers an advanced search option: many do.
Exercise: Reviewing Search Strategies
1. Every database uses the same wildcard for their truncation symbol.
A. True
B. False
2. If you search the truncated word educat*, what form(s)of the word would you retrieve in your search?
A. Education
B. Educator
C. Educating
D. All of the above
3. How would using internal truncation in a keyword increase your search results?
A. It would retrieve results that may have alternate endings.
B. It would retrieve related words.
C. It would retrieve results that may have alternate spellings.
D None of the above.
4. Truncating a word in the wrong place can produce unwanted and irrelevant results
A. True
B. False
5. Using limits can help refine and focus your search
A. True
B. False
6. If you want to retrieve articles from January 2007 to March 2008, which limit would you use?
A. Language
B. Document type
C. Date
D. Document format
7. If you want results that include a full text copy of an article, which limit would you use?
A. Language
B. Document type
C. Date
D. Document format
8. If you want your results to bring up articles in scholarly journals, which limit would you use?
A. Language
B. Document type
C. Date
D. Document format
9. Now that the team has a draft thesis statement, the next step would be to
A. Enter the thesis statement into a database, rather than the catalog.
B. Select keywords and enter them into Google3.
C. Dissect the thesis statement to determine key terms, related terms, and Boolean operators or other searching techniques.
10. If you are interested in the use of social media such as Twitter by college students for research purposes, which of the following is the best general search strategy
A. (social media and Twitter) and research and college students.
B. Social media and college students and research purposes.
C. (social media or Twitter or Facebook) and research and college student.
11. The best place to start the search online is
A. An online guide on the library's website
B. Google
C. The library's catalog
12. When searching a subject-specific database, it is especially important to
A. Use any search refinements they provide that make sense.
B. Check for the best subject headings to use.
C. Both A and B.
13. Sarah realized that the order for doing the best research most often includes these steps
A. Select topic, select keywords, do search, read and understand results, create product.
B. Select topic, select keywords, do search, read and understand results, revise search and return to the process as needed, create product.
C. Check for online assistance on the library‘’s website, do the search, revise the search as needed, create product.
Test Yourself: What Have You Learned?
14. Sorting your results can take time and isn’t very helpful
A. True
B. False
15. If you sort your results by relevance, what will be at the top of the result list?
A. The most current items.
B. Items that are published in journals that being with "A”.
C. The items that best matched your keywords.
D. None of the above.
16. If you sort your results by date, what will be at the top of the result list?
A. The most current items.
B. Items that are published in journals that being with "A”.
C. The items that best matched your keywords.
D. None of the above.
17. Sorting your results is similar to using Limits in your search.
A. True
B. False
Answers
1. A
2. D
3. C
4. A
5. A
6. C
7. D
8. B
9. C
10. C
11. A
12. C
13. B
14. B
15. C
16.A
17.A