Advanced Database Searching Efficient research information searching and retrieval for post-graduate scientists Nov 2008 Gareth J Johnson David Wilson Library
Nov 01, 2014
Advanced Database Searching
Efficient research information searching
and retrieval for post-graduate scientists
Nov 2008
Gareth J Johnson
David Wilson Library
Today’s Session
Aims
◦ Get you familiar with accessing Leicester’s
suite of information resources
◦ Provide some hands on time with searches
◦ Give you a chance for some 1-2-1 support
with your searching
◦ Explore some methodology to help save you
time and effort
Session Outline
Accessing information resources on/off
campus
Searching comprehensively
Strategies for building quality searches
Refining search results
Alternatives to databases
Building your own bibliography (briefly)
Your Experiences
1. What databases/information
resources have you used before?
2. What’s your approach to searching?
3. Are you confident that you are
finding everything you need?
4. Would you like to spend less time
searching and more time reading?
Resources at Leicester
All accessed via Leicester Digital
Library
Nearly all available off campus too
Each indexes a different range of
journals
To be comprehensive will need to
search more than one!
Which Databases to Use?
Depends on your research area
Some multidisciplinary ones
◦ SCOPUS, Web of Knowledge
Some more subject specific
◦ BIOSIS Previews, Medline, Crossfire
Subject Rooms have some guidance
More information on Digital Library page
How Many is Enough?
Comprehensive searching requires using
several
◦ Omissions and overlap between resources
No literature review is 100% authoritative
Rules of thumb
◦ Expect to search 3-5 quality resources
◦ See previous theses for guidance in scope
Bibliographic software can assist in
eliminating duplicate results
Hands on time!
Browse the booklet to Self test (1)
Why not
◦ Look through the A-Z databases and find ones
you are familiar with
◦ Have a look at Subject Rooms
Questions?
Sophisticated Searching
Preparation of a search strategy is the key
Searches can be built up
◦ Single search element at a time
◦ Portions of larger search statement
Need to be familiar with Boolean Logic
◦ AND – makes search more specific
◦ OR – includes synonymous terms
◦ NOT – eliminates irrelevant results
Boolean Logic
pain or injury
broad search,
many results
pain and injury
pain not injury
focussed search results
omitted useful results?
focussed search, fewer
but more specific results
A Simple Search (Mk 1)
Find articles on earthquake detection
sensors
earthquake and detection and sensors
While this works, it is NOT
comprehensive
Many articles will be missed
Results will be too broad
◦ Good for finding random papers of possible
interest
Truncation & Parenthesis
Truncation substitutes for part of a word
Good for finding plurals or alternative spellings
Brackets ( ) allow Boolean logic to function correctly
◦ Order of priority NOT > AND > OR
◦ fish or sausages and chips
◦ (fish or sausages) and chips
A More Sophisticated Search (Mk 2)
Articles on earthquake detection sensors
1. earthquake or seismic
2. detection or identification
3. sensors or monitors
Run each search independently
◦ Then combine to make final search
(earthquake* or seismic) and (detect* or identif* and (sensor* or monitor*)
◦ Good for finding papers specifically concerned with our interests
Hands on Time Again!
Browse the booklet to Self test (2 & 3)
Why not
◦ Try running the search we’ve just tried on a
database or two
◦ Try improving the search
◦ Make your own simple or more sophisticated
search
Questions?
Enhanced Searching Strategy
Expanding on what we’ve considered:
1. Define your topic clearly
2. Identify key concepts and synonyms
3. Group similar concepts
4. Build a search strategy on paper
5. Test your search strategy
6. Refine the results or the strategy
7. Output the results for safe keeping
8. Read your papers
A Most Sophisticated Search (Mk 3)
Articles on earthquake detection sensors
1. earthquake or seismic
2. detection or identification or monitoring
3. sensors or seismograph
4. Not nuclear
Revised in the light of test search
Run each search independently
◦ Then combine to make final search
((earthquake* or seismic) and (detect* or identif* or monitor*) and (sensors or seismograph )) not nuclear
Refining Your Search
Expect to revise your initial search
◦ Rarely work exactly right first time
May need to expand
◦ Include more synonymous terms or truncation
May to need to focus
◦ Use more specific terms or use filters
May need to rethink approach
◦ Try different resources
◦ Reconsider search terminology or logic
Other Tools
Saved searches
◦ Can be used for search alerts on some resources
Subject index searching
◦ Using controlled terms rather than keywords
Open Access
◦ Freely available quality research
◦ Online search engines available
OpenDOAR, BASE Academic Search
◦ No need to worry about if the University subscribes to the journals
◦ Reliable quality alternative
Bibliographic Software
There to aid you in managing your search results◦ Build a personal bibliography
◦ Eliminate duplicate results from multiple databases
◦ Citation insertion into Word documents
◦ Inserts custom bibliography formatted to house or particular journal styles
On campus support for RefWorks and Endnote◦ Further training online or classroom sessions
available
It’s A Small World(z)
If you haven’t already, join the Leicester
Science graduate online community
◦ smallworldz.wetpaint.com
Interact with scientists, academics, fellow
students and research support staff
Discover Twitter feeds, blogs and social
networking identities
Share experiences and peer support
Keep up to date on new developments
Contacts
For searching/database support
◦ Gareth J Johnson (Physical & Biological
Sciences) [email protected]
◦ Other Information librarians
www.le.ac.uk/li/about/informationlibrarians.html
General enquiries
◦ 0116-252-2043
Final Hands on Time!
Browse the booklet to Self test (4)
Why not
◦ Try answering the questions?
◦ Contrast a sophisticated search on different
resources?
◦ Start to develop your own search strategy?
Questions?
Slides
Available online at:
Slideshare