An Online Tutorial Taking You Through the Steps of the Library Research Process Construct Your Search

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Tutorial Contents:
  1. Library Map & Virtual Tour
  2. Avoiding Impulse Buys
  3. Size & Shape of Information
  4. Most Bang for Your Buck
  5. Trying it on for Size
  6. Don't Shoplift!

 

 

Construct Your Search

The main steps in creating an effective search strategy are:

bullet Identify what resources will most likely provide the best information on your topic (i.e. books, periodicals, etc.)
bullet Determine how to locate those sources (i.e. library catalog, article database, search engine, etc.)
bulletRewrite your topic as a research question(s).
bulletIdentify the key terms or phrases in your research question.
bulletIdentify synonyms and related terms for each of your key terms or phrases.
bullet Translate your question into computerese, utilizing the search techniques that will help focus your search.

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