Developing a Search Strategy

1
Developing a Search Strategy

• Exploring Reference Sources

2
Determine what kind of information you need

• Facts, Opinions or Analyses?
• Current or historical?
• Specific subject area or general interest?
• Popular or backed by research?
• Primary or Secondary sources?

• People Information?
• Geographical data?
• Quotes?
• Contact information?

3
Primary Sources

• First-hand accounts of an event
• Actual documents associated with an event
• as contrasted with Secondary Sources which are
• Interpretations based on analysis of primary and
  secondary sources

4
First-hand accounts

• Letters
• Speeches
• Diaries or journals
• Autobiographies
• Scholarly article giving results of research
• Newspaper articles
• Interviews

5
Documents

• Laws
• Treaties
• Transcripts of hearings
• Court cases
• Annual reports

6
Exploring Reference Sources
7
Reference Sources

• Reference Collection
• -generally non-circulating
• -usually much smaller than the circulating
  collection
• Different scope of information
• -overview
• -facts/statistics
• -not read from cover to cover

8
Reference Sources

• Reference Books are useful for
• -The first steps in researching a topic
• - Leading you to more complete information on
  your topic (e.g. subject bibliographies,
  encyclopedias)
• -Supplementing your research or term paper, with
  factual/statistical information

9
Types of Reference Sources

• Almanac
• Bibliography
• Chronology
• Concordance
• Dictionary
• Encyclopedia
• Handbook
• Quotation Book

• Biographical Sources
• -Whos Who
• -Biography Index
• Geographical Sources
• -Atlases
• -Gazetteers
• Statistical sources

10
Dictionaries

• Etymological dictionary gives history of words
• Bilingual dictionary
• Abbreviations acronyms
• Rhyming
• Synonyms
• Slang

11
Dictionaries

• Subject Dictionaries
• These give definitions of terms used in a
  particular subject area
• Dictionary of Personality and Social Psychology
• Dictionary of Marketing Terms
• Search in WebCat to find subject dictionaries
• -keyword biochemistry and dictionar
• -keyword nursing and dictionar

12
Encyclopedias

• General Encyclopedias
• Informational articles covering every field of
  knowledge
• Useful for early stages of research
• Older editions can be checked out
• Many are also available online
• Foreign Encyclopedias
• Useful for language practice, another viewpoint
• - Library has French, German, Spanish, Chinese
  and Russian encyclopedias

13
Encyclopedias

• Subject Encyclopedias
• - Coverage is limited to a specific subject area
• - Usually have bibliographies
• - More detail than general encyclopedia
• - Encyclopedia of Social and Cultural
  Anthropology
• Search WebCat
• -anthropology and encyclopedia
• -economics and encyclopedia

14
Fact Sources

• These include almanacs, manuals, directories,
  handbooks
• -Statistical Abstract of the United States
• -Official Manual of the State of Missouri
• -World Almanac Book of Facts
• -Million Dollar Directory
• -Hoovers Handbook of American Business

15
Biographical Sources

• Information on people distinguished in a
  particular field or well-known to the public
• Current Biography
• Dictionary of American Biography
• Biographical Indexes
• Biography and Genealogy Index

16
Other Reference Sources

• Bibliographies
• Black/White Relations in American History a
  Bibliography
• Soviet Geography a Bibliography
• Geographical Sources
• Atlases, historical atlases
• Gazetteer