Search Strategies
* What do you want to know?
* Why do you want to know it?
* How are you going to find it?
Multilevel Searching
Every topic has a home :
* popular
* academic
* government
* associational/institutional
Steps to finding "homes"
Step 1: almanacs, directories, encyclopedias
For Example:
- General
--The New Encyclopedia Britannia
Bibliography:
--Dictionary of American Biography
Education:
--Encyclopedia of Special Education
Geographic
--Encyclopedia of the Third World
Social Sciences:
--Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences
--Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy
Step 2: Range of Published Material
- Cataloged Information
- Hard copy indexes
- online catalogues
- CD/ROM databases
Step 3: Bibliographies
Step 4: Experts and Spokespersons
Step 5: Internet Searching
ASK Yourself!
1. What is the true focus of my search?
2. What are the key issues raised in this focus?
3. What specific questions might be answered during my search?
4. What categories of sources would be most helpful in addressing these issues and questions?
Library of Congress Classification System
First Line identifies the general subject;
Second Line identifies subtopics;
Third (fourth) lines indicates author.
History of Africa: HT
Sociology: HM
Literary Genres (Journalism): PN
Communication Industries: HE
Browse the Stacks!