| Research Help > Gathering and Locating Information Sources
Types of Information and Probable Sources
You will need to identify the type of information your need.
|
Type of information |
Sources |
| Comprehensive |
Journals, books, sometimes WWW |
| Current |
Journals, databases, WWW, newspapers |
| Background |
Encyclopedia, dictionary, almanac, yearbook |
| Biographical |
Biography, historical book |
| Geographical |
Map, atlas, gazetteer |
| Specific |
Annual reports, conference proceedings, theses, standards |
Probable Access Points for Various Types of Information Sources There are many different ways to look for information. Using the right tool will bring you access directly to the information you need.
|
Access Points |
Sources |
| Library catalogues |
Journals, books, databases, annual reports, conference proceedings, encyclopedia, dictionary, theses |
| Electronic databases |
Journals, databases, newspapers, standards |
| Internet search tools |
Newspapers, government information, commercial information |
How to Search For Information?
Whether you are using the library catalogues, electronic databases, Internet search engines or any other information access points, you will need to develop a search strategy to help you search for relevant information more effectively. A search strategy entails the formation of a search statement which comprises the use of (1) concepts and (2) searching techniques.
(1) Concepts
Tips
- Identify key concepts
- Use the concepts in your mind map / concept map when you scoped your research
- Use the concepts when you asked the Who? What? Where? Where? Why? How?
- List alternative terms
These are terms that describe the same concepts. You may find a dictionary or thesaurus helpful.
- Synonyms (hand phone, mobile phone, cellular phone)
- Spelling variations (behavior, behaviour)
- Plural/singular forms (man, men)
- Variations of root word (finance, financial, financier)
- Acronyms (MBA or Master of Business Administration)
Example
How has the Martha Stewart scandal shook the business and finance industry? (Note that the research topic is phased in a question format)
Key ideas / concepts:
• Martha Stewart
• Inside trading
Related concepts:
• Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (Martha Stewart's company)
• ImClone Systems Inc. (the stocks that Martha Stewart sold)
• Erbitux (the drug that FDA disapproved)
• Justice Department, Securities and Exchange Commission (bodies that dealt with the case)
• inside trading laws (laws concerning the case)
• Peter Bacanovic (Martha Stewart's broker)
• Sam Waksal (CEO who gave the tip-off)
• securities fraud
• white collar crime
(2) Searching techniques
Proximity and Boolean operators may be used together. Different catalogues, databases, search engines or access points use different searching techniques. You should always refer to the help manual for more details. In addition, be careful with spelling as well as capitalization.
|
Proximity Operators |
Function |
Example |
| Phrase searching |
- Uses quotation marks or brackets to indicate phrase searching
- Hits must have the words appearing next to each other in the same order
- This method increases relevancy |
“Martha Stewart”
(Inside trading) |
| Truncation |
- Uses a symbol, usually * or ?
- Search for words with variant endings
- This method increases hits |
trad* = trade, traded, trader, traders, trading etc
(inside trad*) = (inside trade), (inside trader), (inside trading) etc |
| Wildcard |
- Uses a symbol, usually * or ?
- Search for words with variant spellings
- This method increases hits |
wom*n = woman, women |
| Field searching |
- Uses symbol(s) or words
- Search for concept in specific field
- This method increases relevancy |
TI=(Martha Stewart)
SU=(Inside trading)
TI is title; SU is subject |
| Parenthesis |
- Uses quotation marks
- Groups concepts together and work on it before other concepts
|
(“Martha Stewart” or “Sam Waksal”) AND “inside trading” NOT blog
This means the search will find results that contain either “Martha Stewart” or “Sam Waksal”. Within these results, it then finds those that contain “inside trading” and does not contain blog. |
|
Boolean Operators |
Function |
Example |
| AND |
- Uses AND or +
- Combines two keywords or phrases such that the result must contain these words
- This method reduces hits
|
(Martha Stewart) AND (inside trading) |
| OR |
- Uses OR
- Combines two keywords or phrases such that the result contains either of these words
- This method increases hits
|
“Martha Stewart” OR “ Sam Waksal” |
| NOT |
- Uses NOT or -
- Excludes result that contains the words
- This method decreases hits
|
“Martha Stewart” NOT blog |
(3) Search statement
A search statement consists of concepts and operators that are typed into the search box of library catalogues, databases and search engines to find matching records.
Example
(“Martha Stewart” or “ Sam Waksal”) AND “inside trading” NOT blog
What Are Scholarly Sources?
For academic writing, most of your information will come from scholarly sources. Sometimes, non-textbook academic sources such as books of edited readings and magazines may contribute new ideas for you. If you have to use information from the Internet, you should determine who published it and its reliability.
Common types of scholarly (or academic) sources:
- Author is from university or scholarly society
- Judged by experts in the subject (i.e. peer-reviewed)
- Published by university or scholarly society
- Reports research findings by authoritative bodies
- Contains bibliography of other works
- Presented at conference
Summary
Different access points (e.g. library catalogues, library websites, electronic databases, Internet search engines) may be used to locate different types of information. A search statement which includes the use of concepts and searching techniques will render your searches more effective.
The next section will touch on evaluation of information sources. |
