1. library.think.edu.au
Database
Searching
Skills

3. Outcomes
At the end of the workshop, you should be able to:
• search more efficiently
• get better results
• know where to look
• be less anxious about your research

4. •What information am I looking for?
•Where will I find the information
•How will I get there?
•How good is the information?
•How will I ethically use the information
“Finding information is hard….”

5. What type of information do I need,
& where do I find it?
• Definition
• Basic overview
• Statistics etc.
Information type
• Book
• Govt. publications
• Wiki
• youtube
General source
• Google
• Library catalogue
How to find it

6. When do I need to use a database?
Bibliographic database
(aka “Literature database”)
indexed articles, subject specific
e.g.: Ebsco, Proquest
• Recent information
• Research
• Scholarly articles
Information type
• Academic literature
• Journal articles
• Theses, reports etc
General source
• Databases
• Google Scholar
How to find it

7. Ebsco
GaleProquest
•Only Open Source full text journals
•Google Scholar
•Digital repositories
•Paid content = more full text available
•Not as broad coverage of journal articles
FREE
•THINKEducationsubscription

8. 1. Define your topic
2. Determine your search strategy
3. Find your citations
4. Get the full text article
Steps in finding information
how?!
Yes, but ……

9. Database
Full Text?
• Yes - YAY!
• No (see below)
Available at
THINK?
• Check library catalogue
• Ejournal? Print journal? Other database
• Check Google Scholar
Submit
article
request
• Make sure you really need it
• Usually free, but occasionally not
• Can take up to 2 weeks so allow time
Steps in finding full text article

10. 1. Define the keywords you can use
2. Start broad, progressively narrow down
3. Use search building techniques – synonyms, limiters
4. Note ‘clues’ in your results – jargon, exclusion terms etc.
5. Understand what your results mean
6. Repeat your search – be persistent, think laterally
Search strategy

11. Define
keywords
• Topic analysis
• Keywords
• Synonyms, jargon, Latin form
• Context
Search
building
• Phrase searching
• AND, OR, NOT
• Similar and Citing articles
Use
Limiters
• Time frame (recent? historical? trending?)
• Type of literature (review article, clinical trials, news?)
• Gender , age, population , language


after….
before….
during….
So, in summary:

12. Search is an exercise in persistance!
If you don’t feel you’re getting results
 Change databases
 Change keywords
 Change tactics
 Ask your librarian for help – we’re experts!
Review search results – again!

13. Example search strategy
Putting the theory to work.

14. “Discuss how Indigenous groups can be involved in
Australian tourism ”
• Aborignal
• Aborigines
• Torres Strait Islanders
• Globally?
• Australia?
• Current? Historical? Trends?
• “case study”
• “indigenous Australians”
Phrases Context
Synonyms

15. Boolean Truncation Phrase searching
• AND
• NOT
• OR
Using these in your
search can force
exclusions or
inclusions
e.g:
tablet NOT computer
child*
Searches for:
• children
• childhood
• childlike
Compare this google
search:
indigenous tourism
= 5,000,000+ results
“indigenous tourism”
= 120,000 results
Simply phrasing your
search can focus your
results enormously.
Some search techniques

16. Use Advanced Search
Almost all databases and search engines have
advanced search options
Provides many
more fields to
help you refine
your search

17. Use limits
effectively
Use the limits
provided,
when you can

18. Use limits
effectively

19. Reading
your results
1. Suggested subjects
2. Type of document
3. Abstract or Full text
4. Abstract text
5. Refining options







20. Reading
your results
Making use of the functions
available, helps you keep
organised while researching.