The Search
Search - finding information.
- It is an
integral part of interview.
2 Types of Search
1. Manual Search – means searching for
printed materials.
2. Computer–assisted search – means
searching using computers.
SUB - TOPICS
·
Search Strategies
·
Information System
·
Online Searching
SEARCH
STRATEGIES
The inquiry
and the search may be divided into two types:
1.
If the inquirer seeks for a specific data, as in
the case of ready - reference query,
the goal is predicted, and the search strategy can be laid out in a methodical,
step – by – step fashion.
2.
A more in depth inquiry, as in the case of a specific search – or – research query,
requires an investigative type of strategy.
Search
Process
If one turns
to a printed almanac or an online full – text abstracting service, the basic
principles of the search process are much the same.
1.
The query is first analyzed and clarified
through the reference interview. One determines the types of questions asked
the parameters to be established (i. e., purpose, scope, time span, amount of
materials, level of materials, etc.), and the source(s) or system(s) where the
necessary information is likely to be found.
2.
In the case of the majority ready – reference
query, a source usually comes readily to mind. The source is consulted and the
answer is given.
3.
In the case of search – and – research queries
(or more difficult ready – reference questions), it is necessary to consider
numerous sources. At this point, a likely source is usually one of two major
possibilities:
a.
Bibliographies, indexes, or the library catalog
are consulted. This are not sources of answers in themselves but access points
to answer. Thanks to online databases this is by and large the most favored
path by today’s reference librarian.
b.
Form or subject sources are referred to, from
standard reference book to magazines, newspapers, vertical – file material, and
a given subject area on the shelves. In most situations, because the searcher
is not entirely sure of the avenues for an answer, (a) will be a first choice
as a source.
4.
Generalizations about both the manual and the
computer – aided search are in order. Where bibliographies, the catalog, and so
forth, are to be searched it is best to determine likely subject headings or
primary words, which may be located in an electronic database search. A helpful
aid at this point is to list keywords most likely to be appropriate for such a
search. A choice of action must then be made. The search may :
a.
Broaden the search in terms of subject headings
and / or keywords.
b.
Narrow the search.
c.
Select more specific, or less specific, subject
headings, or keywords.
d.
Find more appropriate terms.
5.
Through steps 3 to 4, there should be some type
of dialogue between the user and the librarian. Or the dialogue may follow
later when likely material is gathered. At any rate, adjustments in terms of
which data can be used, which are peripheral, and which are useless, must be
made throughout the total search process.
6.
At this point, other decision must be made:
a.
Adjustment has to be made as to relevance of the
data to the specific question put by the user.
b.
If there is too little material, the librarian
must decide in what order to search other sources.
c.
If nothing can be found, the librarian must
decide whether to try new or modified approaches, to give up, or to suggest to
the user other sources (i.e., other libraries, interlibrary loan).
d.
In any case, the librarian must determine how
much more time can be given to answering the question.
INFORMATION
SYSTEM
It
is defined as any combination of information
technology and
people's activities using that technology to support operations management.
The
librarian must know the control and access
language of the collection and reference sources chosen. This means an
appreciation of indexing and cataloging subject terms and also the knowledge of
the classification schemes of the collection. It certainly implies an
understanding of how to find electronic databases.
Usually,
such a patron simply finds a section of materials – books, magazines,
documents, etc. – which may answer his or her needs and commences to browse. In
order to do this, the user must understand the language of classification or of
the information systems. The normal library – reference pattern of access via
the language of the information systems begins with specifics such as author
and title, which, if accurate, afford exact entry to the catalog, index,
abstract, or bibliographies.
In
our university our information system is the Follet software. The Follet Software
Company specializes in library automation, information and resource management
tools and solutions. It also provides solutions, products, services, support,
and training to its clients and students giving them flexibility,
accountability, and efficiency.
The purposes are:
1.
Efficiency
to manage
·
Give you more time by most efficiently managing
circulation, cataloging, searching and reporting.
2.
Simplify
Access
·
Simplify access to the right information at the
right time, providing powerful and engaging technology in a collaborative
environment.
3.
Cost
Efficiency
·
Drive time and cost efficiencies, allowing
librarians more freedom to focus on building peak educational experiences for
students and teachers.
4.
Create a
flexible, centralized library automation system.
·
Create a flexible, centralized library
automation system that will grow and evolve along with the scope of your
district.
ONLINE SEARCHING
or NET SEARCHING
SUB - TOPICS
·
Selecting the Right Reference Sources
·
Basic Searching Rules
·
Search Engines
·
Search Techniques
Selecting
the Right Reference Sources
An obvious
advantage here is the database has numerous searchable fields not available in
print. The trick is to learn just what points to search in a particular
database will assist the user beyond subject matter and the time period
covered.
Another aid
available primarily from commercial type sources is the grouping of related
databases by subject. Example is the DIALOG which has DIALINDEX, which lists
the number of items found in each related database.
Basic
Searching Rules
The online
search follows the usual patterns such as:
1.
Within the limits of software of the service the
librarian looks for likely terms and tries a sample or two, usually employing
Boolean logic, to widen or narrow the number of responses
2.
One then calls up a few citations or in many
cases the full text of an article to see whether this (or several) match the
needs of the user.
a.
If yes, the path is open to closer evaluation.
b.
If no, then one goes back to modifying the
search terms.
3.
In any case, the counterpoint of the search is
to refine, revise and recast until satisfaction is obtained.
Search
Engines
- It is a program that searches a keyword.
Examples are Yahoo, Google, Alta Vista and Excite.
§
Yahoo - The search engine that helps you find
exactly what you're looking for. Yahoo! operates the web
portal http://www.yahoo.com which provides content including the
latest news, entertainment, and sports information. The portal also gives users
access to other Yahoo! services like Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Maps, Yahoo!
Finance, Yahoo! Groups and Yahoo! Messenger.
§
Google - Google indexes billions of web
pages, so that users can search for the information they desire, through the
use of keywords and operators. The basic search engine has spread to specific
services as well, including an image search engine, the Google News search
site, Google Maps, and more.
§ Alta
Vista - is
a web
search engine owned
by Yahoo!. AltaVista was once one of the most popular search
engines but its popularity declined with the rise of Google.
In 2010, Yahoo! announced that it plans to discontinue the site.
§
Excite - is a collection
of Internet sites and services
owned by IAC Search & Media, which is a subsidiary of InterActive Corporation (IAC).
Launched in 1994, it is a online service offering a
variety of content, including an Internet portal, a search engine, a web-based email, instant
messaging, stock quotes, and a customizable user homepage. The content is
collated from over 100 different sources.
- It also enables users to search for
documents on the World Wide Web.
Search
Techniques
Keyword Searching
Keyword searching is using a key word to find what you are looking for. It's perhaps the most common form of search engine searching. Here are some types with using keyword searches.
Keyword searching is using a key word to find what you are looking for. It's perhaps the most common form of search engine searching. Here are some types with using keyword searches.
A) Search your own mind and determine the
most unique keyword you can think of. This will help lower the hit rate. Unique
key words are important, otherwise you will get too many hits to review. Try to
come up with sub-key words. By that, you automatically lower your number of
hits because what you are doing with your mind is narrowing your search. I like
Infoseek because it gives you the ability to conduct another search after you
already performed one searching only the contents of your first list.
B) Know if upper and lower case mean
anything on the search engine you are using.
C) Check a few like sites and see what keywords
are used for those sites.
D) If at first you don't get what you
want, try again and again. I keep a Franklin Language next to me. It is a
pocket sized electronic version of a combined dictionary and a thesaurus. Use
these to check spellings of key words. When you look up their definitions, you
might find other key words and when you use the thesaurus you can easily find
like meaning words.
E) Know your search engine. Almost all of
them have help menus and how to do it pages. Take the time to read them.
There are a number of advanced techniques you can use but in order to use them, you will have to check the search engine you want to use to utilize them to make sure you are doing it correctly and every one is different. For example, Webcrawler doesn't need any phrase commands at all as it really is a search engine by phrase. The more words you add to the input, the narrower your search is going to be. But some search engines will require you to use the Phrase Command.
There are a number of advanced techniques you can use but in order to use them, you will have to check the search engine you want to use to utilize them to make sure you are doing it correctly and every one is different. For example, Webcrawler doesn't need any phrase commands at all as it really is a search engine by phrase. The more words you add to the input, the narrower your search is going to be. But some search engines will require you to use the Phrase Command.
PHRASE SEARCHING: Generally
phrases are placed in "". That is:
"Surveillance Investigator"
Any time you have more than one key word, you have a phrase. Although each search engine is different, know when you should use this method.
AND SEARCHING: When you place the word AND between two key words, you are telling the search database that you want to pull only listings with those key words. The most common way this is done is with a + for example: +investigative +resources. You will find that some search engines make it easy to use the AND search by offering you a click option.
Any time you have more than one key word, you have a phrase. Although each search engine is different, know when you should use this method.
AND SEARCHING: When you place the word AND between two key words, you are telling the search database that you want to pull only listings with those key words. The most common way this is done is with a + for example: +investigative +resources. You will find that some search engines make it easy to use the AND search by offering you a click option.
OR SEARCHING: To example your
hit list, use OR. it's like saying find anything with this OR that.
NOT SEARCHING: Not gives you
the ability to weed out certain key words on your final list. You usually put a
negative sign in front of your word for this search.
For example: let us say you want to search the word investigator bot not private investigators. You might use this: investigator-private. The database will pull up all investigator pages but not private investigator pages.
For example: let us say you want to search the word investigator bot not private investigators. You might use this: investigator-private. The database will pull up all investigator pages but not private investigator pages.
NEAR SEARCHING: Sometimes it
is useful to use a keyword and tell the database you want a keyword that's near
another word. You can specific the word count from the main keyword with NEAR
SEARCHES. For example: Investigator NEAR/15 "surveillance issues".
What you will pull up is site with the word investigator in it with the phrase
"surveillance issues" fifteen words of closer to the main
keyword" investigator.
WILDCARD SEARCHES: Wildcards
searching generally places the symbol "*" after a word. It tells the
database to look for variations of that word. For Example:
Investigation*
Might pull sites with words such as
investigation, investigator, and investigative.
NESTED SEARCHING: Nested searching is usually one or more of the specialized search strategies describe above together. It might look something like this:
Investigator NEAR (Texas OR Tx)
In the above example, you should pull investigators in Texas or TX.
NESTED SEARCHING: Nested searching is usually one or more of the specialized search strategies describe above together. It might look something like this:
Investigator NEAR (Texas OR Tx)
In the above example, you should pull investigators in Texas or TX.
REFERENCES:
·
Katz, William A. Introduction to reference work,
reference services and reference services. Vol. II, 8th ed. Boston :
McGraw Hill, 2002.
Joan Kristel D. Evangelista
May C. Anyayahan
Myrla P. Macapia
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