Using the Advanced Search provides more options to focus your search.
Searching Library Catalogs:
KeyWord Search:
Type one or more words of the title, author, subject, series or song titles. Keyword search results are usually grouped by relevance to bring the most likely titles to the top of the list. For example:
"global warming"
"global literature"
British literature
If you aren't sure how to spell something, use '*' for 1-5 characters, '**' for open-ended truncation, or '?' to replace a single character anywhere within a word. For example: polic*, comput**, wom?n
Author Search:
Type all or part of the author's name (last name, first) or the name of an illustrator, actor, director, composer, performer or organization. For example:
Steel, Danielle
Madonna
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Title Search:
Type as much or as little of the title as you know, beginning with the first words of the title. If you don't know the exact title, do a keyword search. For example:
sound of music
to kill a mockingbird
harry potter and the
Create a List of Searches:
To make a list that can be printed or emailed as you search the catalog, select items by marking the box to the left of a title and then clicking on Save to Marked List. Items can also be added to a list from an individual item record by clicking on the Save to List button.
Once you have created a list, use the View List button and then select Export Saved List to choose your print or email choices. To print, select Send List to: Screen and print from your browser.
This page provides information on researching, including tips on using the library catalog, library databases, and Google.
Background information provides the historical components on a topic or problem you are researching. Background information can often fill in gaps in your knowledge about a topic or issue. It is also useful in creating research strategies; providing search terms to use in searching catalogs and databases.
" A combined catalog of more than 100 million books, web resources, and other materials from libraries throughout the world. From this database, you can electronically request items via interlibrary loan."
Google provides a variety of information sources (articles, interviews, photographs) on topics. If you use Google, search by topic, event name, person, or title. Remember to evaluate the sources you find on Google to make sure they are valid for your assignment or needs.
Scholarly and popular articles are found in databases. If your assignment requires scholarly articles, look for "scholarly" or "peer-reviewed" on the search page and check the box; that insures the database returns scholarly sources from your searches. Do not limit your searches to specific discipline databases. For example, if you are searching a current criminal justice topic, you want to search criminal justice databases and newspaper databases for current information or statistics.
Be aware that some sources such as newspapers or popular magazines (People, National Geographic) are not considered scholarly sources.
If you need assistance searching a database, look for a Help or "?" section on the search page; you can also consult a librarian for assistance in searching a database.
When you find a scholarly article useful for your topic, look at the bibliography at the end of the article. Often, checking the bibliography can provide you with additional sources to use in your research.
When you search the databases, remember the requirements of your assignment.
