Beginning Your Research @ Your Library

Here are some quick tips that work in most search tools (like library catalogs and databases):

Field Searching

Search for your keywords in specific field of a book or article record instead of the default search which is anywhere in the record or even in the full-text of an article.  This can limit your search to materials in which your keywords are more likely to be the main topic. You can choose for your keywords to occur in the Title, Subject, Abstract, Author and other fields.

 

Boolean Operators

After you choose your keywords, connect them with Boolean Operators to refine or expand your search.

• AND includes all of your terms and narrows results
• NOT eliminates terms and narrows results
• OR will include any or all of the terms (e.g. university OR college) and expand the results

How Library Stuff Works: Boolean Operators

Watch the video below to learn more about using Boolean Operators effectively (from McMaster Libraries, CC:BY license).

Other Search Tips

• Quotation Marks - use around specific phrases for more targeted searching (e.g. "human resource management")
• Truncation (*) - use to search for multiple endings of a root word (e.g. educat*  will search for education, educated, educator, etc.)
• Search by Subject Heading (also referred to as Subject Terms or Descriptors).  If you find the record for a book or article that looks useful to you, following relevant Subject Headings to find more materials on the same or similar topics.  For more about Subject Headings, see Library of Congress Subject Headings link below. 

When you're finding and using different types of information resources (e.g. a book, magazine article, a website), remember that some information resources are better suited for a particular need and environment than others.  

Find it all! OneSearch

Egan Library's search tool OneSearch allows  you to search across the library's collections for books, DVDs, articles (many of which are full-text), and more!  

Find books, DVDs, maps, and more - The library's catalog

Use the library catalog to find books, DVDs, and other materials in the library's collection.  

Search the Egan Library Catalog (also includes UAS Ketchikan Library)

• Tip! You can obtain  from other participating libraries that are included in this catalog by placing a hold on them.

Find articles

Use one of our libraries' subject-specific or multidisciplinary databases to find articles on your topic.  

Google Scholar searches a portion of scholarly literature, including articles.  Did you know that you can easily configure your Google Scholar Settings so that you can link to the full-text of articles available from Egan Library from Google Scholar?  Use the guide below to learn how!

Find websites, blogs, and other stuff on the Internet

Use your favorite search engine, or try a new one, to search Internet resources.  Tip!  Try the Advanced Search feature (like Google's Advanced Search), if available.