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CO 122: Analytic and Persuasive Writing

This guide lists resources for your assignments in CO122.

Strategies to Improve Search Results

1) Use keywords instead of long sentences

Search with question/statement: How is artificial intelligence used to show sponsored ads in Facebook

>> Returns very few, highly irrelevant results.

Instead, search 2 - 3 concepts at a time derived from your research question:

artificial intelligence

advertisements

social media

 

2) Put search terms into the Advanced Search

Using the Advanced Search will allow you to build a stronger search query.  The advanced search can be found below the main search box on the Library homepage:

Onesearch Advanced Search

3) Search Essentials

Use Boolean Operators to separate terms and add relevant ones. 

  • AND - Limits your search (fewer results) by combining search terms
  • OR - Expands your search (more results) by including synonyms and related terms
  • NOT - Limits your search (fewer results) by excluding irrelevant keywords
  • Use drop down menus when you are searching for a specific author, title, publication, or subject heading for more precise searching.

Phrase searching

  • Add "quotation marks" around specific phrases
  • Creates unique search term
  • Focuses your search (fewer results)

Truncation/Wildcards

  • Use wildcard (*) to truncate word so that more variations of word are found.  Truncation symbols vary by database but may include *, !, ?, or #.
  • Expands your search

Example: child* returns results for child, childs, children, children, childhood, 

Example:  colo*r returns color or colour 

Example:

OneSearch showing quotes and boolean operators


4) Search Limiters (left side menu)

Use Search Limiters to further narrow your search by date, format, and other aspects of a publication.  Search limiters are located along the left side of the search window.

Search limiters

  • Available Online - shows only web-based content that Eckerd as access to
  • Peer-reviewed Journals - shows only articles published in peer-reviewed journals, whether we have access to them or not
  • Open Access - shows resources that should be available to anyone
  • Available in the Library - shows only books and ebooks that the library has access to

Others to consider:

  • Resource Type - to limit by format (e.g. book, journal, video)
  • Date - to set range of years
  • Location - for specific location in library
  • Collection - for specific database the library subscribes to

5) OneSearch tools make your life easier 

  • Email results
  • Pin/Add item to Favorites
  • Cite - choose your format!
  • URL - persistent URL for sharing/going back to articles