Keywords
        &
Boolean Searching


          Adapted from
   University of Gloucestershire
The Research Process


Define your keywords



      Find the relevant information for your
    project using books, journals, websites etc


          Critically evaluate the information you
                       have retrieved


             Cite and reference any sources used in
             your project correctly
Keywords - what and why?

Define the topic


   Success of search dependent upon
   key words

           “Brainstorm” initial keywords to
       think of related or alternative terms

            Use thesauri, dictionaries, index or
            content pages from relevant books


                   TRUNCATE & WILDCARDS
categorise your keyword terms, e.g. motivational management techniques




   Subject               Related                    Broader
                                                                      Synonyms
    terms                 terms                      terms
                               work
                        commitment, em
                              ployee
    motivation/al, m    morale, employe
   otivate(s), work/e            e                   organisational
         mployee        awards, performa               behaviour,
                           nce related                                inspire, encourag
   incentive(s), moti                               human resource
                        pay, empowerme                                     e(ment)
         vational               nt,                  management,
   management/the                                      personnel         leadership
    ory, work, emplo                                 management
       yee(er), job
                        Herzberg, McGregor, Maslo
                                w, Lawler
Bized (2003) Motivation Mind Map [online] [cited 21 Jul 2004] Available from http://www.bized.ac.uk/educators/16-19/presentations/business/2003_4/271003_map.htm
BOOLEAN OPERATORS…..

 AND – looks for two terms in                      a
 the same result, i.e. both          recruitment   n    On-line
                                                   d




OR – looks for either of two
                                candidates     O       applicants
terms, not together
                                               R




 NOT – excludes a terms          recruitment
                                                       NOT redundancy
TIPS & TRICKS for Better Results

•Brackets – grouping search instructions

(recruitment OR selection) AND disability


                •Phrases

                Search for a whole phrase by using speech marks

                “Recruitment policies for disability”

•Truncation or wildcards

• * After a stem will look for all variant endings

Child* (child, children, childish, childhood, childbirth etc.)

                                                                  •Wildcard

                      • ? In the middle of a word looks for variant spellings
                                                          m?n (men, man, )

Keywords & boolean searching

  • 1.
    Keywords & Boolean Searching Adapted from University of Gloucestershire
  • 2.
    The Research Process Defineyour keywords Find the relevant information for your project using books, journals, websites etc Critically evaluate the information you have retrieved Cite and reference any sources used in your project correctly
  • 3.
    Keywords - whatand why? Define the topic Success of search dependent upon key words “Brainstorm” initial keywords to think of related or alternative terms Use thesauri, dictionaries, index or content pages from relevant books TRUNCATE & WILDCARDS
  • 4.
    categorise your keywordterms, e.g. motivational management techniques Subject Related Broader Synonyms terms terms terms work commitment, em ployee motivation/al, m morale, employe otivate(s), work/e e organisational mployee awards, performa behaviour, nce related inspire, encourag incentive(s), moti human resource pay, empowerme e(ment) vational nt, management, management/the personnel leadership ory, work, emplo management yee(er), job Herzberg, McGregor, Maslo w, Lawler
  • 5.
    Bized (2003) MotivationMind Map [online] [cited 21 Jul 2004] Available from http://www.bized.ac.uk/educators/16-19/presentations/business/2003_4/271003_map.htm
  • 6.
    BOOLEAN OPERATORS….. AND– looks for two terms in a the same result, i.e. both recruitment n On-line d OR – looks for either of two candidates O applicants terms, not together R NOT – excludes a terms recruitment NOT redundancy
  • 7.
    TIPS & TRICKSfor Better Results •Brackets – grouping search instructions (recruitment OR selection) AND disability •Phrases Search for a whole phrase by using speech marks “Recruitment policies for disability” •Truncation or wildcards • * After a stem will look for all variant endings Child* (child, children, childish, childhood, childbirth etc.) •Wildcard • ? In the middle of a word looks for variant spellings m?n (men, man, )

Editor's Notes

  • #4 For example, if you were looking at the development of practices in human resource management over the past thirty years, your search would have to include both the terms 'personnel' and 'human resource management'. In the 1970s, 'human resources management' was not a recognised term. If you were searching for literature at that time you would need to use the term 'personnel management'. In the same way in education the term dyslexia replaced word blindness as the commonly used term.
  • #6 Some people may find it helpful /easier to make a mind map of the key words and concepts – this one is on the same topic – motivational management theorists. Is everyone familiar with the idea of mind maps? Does anyone use them? I do – especially when writing an assignment or report.
  • #8 Brackets or parentheses are used to group sets of related keywords together in a search string. Brackets are placed around the keywords, separated by OR, to instruct the database to process this part of the search first. The database will then combine this result with the second part of the search.(recruitment OR selection) AND disability = recruitment OR selection AND disabilityN.B. The effect of removing the brackets from the search string would be to search for articles about recruitment or about selection and disability: ‘recruitment” OR “selection AND disability”By using a symbol, frequently an asterisk (*) at the end of the words this enables the database to search for alternative word endings ('impact *' will therefore search for articles contain the terms 'impact, impacts, impacting'). This technique is called truncation and it is used to broaden your search and so retrieve more articles.