Search Techniques
- Keywords
- Truncation
- Synonyms
- Review
Searching databases and catalogues is much more productive if you have an understanding of effective search techniques. These techniques are very important for getting good search results. It is worthwhile taking the time to understand and use them.
Keywords
Keywords are terms that you enter into the search field on a library catalogue, database or a search engine to find relevant material for the topic.
Activity
Use the catalogue’s Quick Search and the keywords you identified in the Preparing to Search activity to find relevant books on our topic.
Truncation
Truncation provides additional flexibility in searching, it allows the computer to search for multiple endings of a word. The Library catalogue uses the dollar ($) symbol while most other search tools use an asterix (*).
EXAMPLE: music* or in the library catalogue music$
Finds:
musical
musician
musicians
musicality
music's
Synonyms
A synonym is an alternative word with a similar meaning. Synonyms are used when there are limited results from a search.
EXAMPLE: Aboriginal or Indigenous; university or college
Reviewing your search
Bringing it all together
Activity
Truncate these keywords and then practice using the Quick Search on our catalogue
Education
Instructor
Children
When we search, we use truncation to help us find more information using a single keyword.
Where would you truncate the term education to ensure you got all the relevant terms?
Type your answer in the box below.
Where would you truncate the term instructor to ensure you got all the relevant terms?
Type your answer in the box below.
Where would you truncate the term children to ensure you got all the relevant terms?
Type your answer in the box below.