1. Information demand and its determination. The search starts with information demand and its determination. I.E., you must know and understand what you want and what you are searching for (what you are interested in, what you want to know).
2. Selection of search instruments (resources). It is very important and depends upon what information you are looking for.
- Want to find and order a book –use VUL electronic catalogue.
- Look for general information (about a person, event and the like) – use search systems.
- Write a paper, a term paper, bachelor’s work, dissertation, an article and need scientific information –use the databases.
- If you do not know how to perform search in a database use search manuals.
- Looking for VU scientists’ publications – use VUL publications database.
- Want to know what was published in the Lithuanian press – connect to the National bibliography data bank.
3. Expression of information demand in notional words.
Step 1. Formulate a theme or a question, what you want to find (e.g., how paper manufacture has developed from its origin up to our time?)
Step 2. A question or theme must be named in concrete words – notional, search words, that would reflect the main thought, idea or concept of the question or theme (keywords: paper history, paper evolution).
Step 3. If you have not found the necessary information, alter your query: choose other notional words or synonims, search ways / phrasing or other means of search.
SEARCH STRATEGY
Not all search systems, databases and catalogues understand the strategy of search in the same way, therefore we recommend reading the help pages (Help; Search Types etc.)
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WHAT YOU KNOW
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HOW TO FIND INFORMATION / ARTICLE / BOOK
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The whole title or its part must be written in sequence ( phrase). Searching according to the phrase enables you to find a specific title, however all other articles are found in addition, that include at least one word from the combination.
e.g., Work stress symptoms
The article will be found with the phrase work stress symptoms and all other articles, including words work, stress and symptoms.
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Search according to author is carried out in the search box Authors. Search according to the surname. Name, or initials together with the surname may be used to narrow the search. To perform the search use the following form:
Surname, N.
e.g., Nicolson, H.
Note that surnames ending not in English ending are not searched. In this case use the root of the surname and put an asterisk mark (*) beside it. Surnames of more complex structure (such as De Castro, O‘Leary) are searched likewise simple ones. |
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You may choose where to search keywords: in Title, Abstract, Text. The search system does not search words the, and , etc. and single letters.
e.g., B group vitamins
Search will be performed wrongly as all articles will be found including – group, vitamins, as well as letter B. In this case you shall write words in quotation marks:
e.g., „B group vitamins“
Using phrase in double quotes the search will be carried out more precisely.
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Other data:
year, number, volume, pages
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Write known search data into necessary search fields. The more data you know, there more concrete the results will be. If you do not know precise data – leave empty fields.
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Order the presentation of results
Default results display is by order of relevance to the search request. e.g.,
human immunodeficiency virus
The search system will find all articles with words human, immunodeficiency, virus or „human immunodeficiency virus“. Those articles that matched the request words best will come first.
In certain cases, the search system allows you to choose what kind of order of result display that should be provided: in accordance with relevance, date, alphabet, etc.
Use of brackets
(...) are used to perform complex queries. They ensure search priority and help to avoid ambiguity. e.g.,
(„signal transduction" AND (phosphorylation OR kinase)) NOT xenopus
At first articles will be searched that includes a phrase „signal transduction”, and only then the word phosphorylation or another word – kinase, excluding the word xenopus.
Use of phrases
In default search words of a phrase are joined by a logical connector OR. e.g.
phosphoric acid
According to the formulated query, answers will be displayed that will include either phosphoric, or acid, or both words phosphoric acid.
Writing the same word combination in double quotes:
„phosphoric acid“
you will obtain other results. Search system will display only those answers that include the precise phrase, namely „phosphoric acid“. Articles that include only phosphoric or acid will not be displayed.
Asterisk (*) usage
Asterisk is used if you want to find all possible forms of a word. The search system will display the results of the selected word with its all possible endings. e.g.
sociol*
Searching for the word sociol* words sociology, socialist, sociological, sociopath will be found. It is a perfect way of searching surnames with non English endings.
Sometimes a question mark (?) is used by the search system for this function.
Logical conjunctions
Logical conjunctions are used to perform a more complex query. Search words may be joined by the following conjunctions:
OR – conjunction OR is used rarely, as words written in the default search field without conjunctions are joined namely by this conjunction. e.g.
network computers
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network OR computers
Such articles that include words network computers or network, or computers will be found. OR conjunction expands the search. It is mostly used to perform search with synonyms of search words.
AND – the search system will display such documents in which there are all written words joined by this conjunction. e.g.
internet AND marketing
Articles will be found which include both words – internet and marketing. They may be in different places in the text but in the same text. AND conjunction narrows the search.
NOT– this conjunction indicate that only one of words written in the query will be searched. e.g.
ecology NOT molecular
Articles that include the word ecology, but do not include molecular will be found. NOT conjunction narrows the search.
Capital letters and punctuation marks
Using capital letters and punctuation marks do not influence search results
E.g. writing:
Trombin, TROMBIN, trombin
You will obtain the same results.
However it is recommended to start query in small letters excluding those cases when search must be performed otherwise.
Except
brackets (...) ;
asterisk (*) ;
double quotes(„...“) and dash(–) (used in author search), other punctuation marks have no meaning and are treated in the query as a gap.
Having used information in your scientific work (paper, term paper, bachelor’s, master’s work, etc) don’t forget to indicate properly the used literature in the list of references.
Citation rules are applicable using information of any type (printed, electronic, etc.).
