INFM 219 - Ivy Online: Develop Search

Decorative banner Develop research strategy.

Search Terms

Search Terms or keywords are the words and phrases entered into search boxes. The words you used and the way that those words are connected affect the search results. Do not enter your entire research question into a search box, and choose your search terms carefully.

Select keywords from research questions

Look that the research questions you wrote when developing your topic. Make note of the keywords in those questions. 

Human bias

Privacy

Big Data

Data Collection

Take a moment to think of any other words with similar meanings that might be used. You might also think of words that have broader or narrower meanings.

Privacy

Data Privacy

Information Privacy

Data Protection

Link search terms together

AND is the most common linking term. 

Connect two search terms together with an AND to tell the computer to search for articles that contain both search terms. 

For example, you are trying to find information about how privacy laws affect data collection.

Data collection AND privacy

Data collection AND privacy laws

Data collection AND privacy AND laws

Consider using other words that have similar meanings

                Data collection AND right to privacy

Consider using words that are more specific

                Data brokers AND Privacy

Limiters

Plan to use the limiter tools within the Library resources. These tools are included in most library sources but may look a little different. 

Limiter Tools

These tools fine-tune your results. You can usually find these tools on the left of the results

Full Text

 Limit to only things you can read right now

Publication type

Limit to things published in a certain date range. You might want to limit results to only the newest information

Limit by  the type of source,

News (papers) – written by journalists and reporters for the general public, focus on current events.

Academic Journals – articles are written by experts for experts, and often describe research studies.

Magazine –written by journalists and professional writers for the general public. Some are specific to an area of interest.

Trade Publications- Written by people working in the profession for others in that profession.

Subject Tag

Most articles are tagged with terms that describe what the article is about. Articles can have many subject tags. Select subject tags to add to your search to limit to articles tagged with those terms.