College Composition / Unit 21 CMP 0510 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Search Strategies
The idea
An effective search moves from general background to focused, specialized sources.
In practice
Search in order. First, consult general reference works for background and basic facts. Second, consult specialized reference works for your field. Third, search the library catalog for books on the topic. Fourth, search a general-interest database, which indexes newspapers, magazines and some scholarly journals. Fifth, once the topic is focused, search subject databases, which index specialized scholarly and technical journals. Sixth, adjust your keywords as you learn the field's vocabulary, adding the terms that good sources use.
Where people slip
Stopping at the first search engine results skips the databases and catalogs where most scholarly sources live. Use library tools for academic research, and ask a librarian when the results seem thin.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
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