Rules for Database Searching

  1. Choose the correct database. Searching in the wrong database will get you nowhere very quickly.
  2. Limit your search. Determine if there are ways to narrow down the pool of things you are searching to make your results more accurate. In an article database you might limit to "scholarly articles" while in a shopping database you might limit to "DVDs"
  3. Select search terms. Start with more general terms and then make them more specific by adding terms or using more precise words to describe what you are looking for: peaches instead of fruit.
  4. Always print any result information using the databases own "print" options, if print options are available.
  5. Use the database's "folder", "cart", or "mark list" feature to sort out results that interest you quickly. Then you can work with the items in the smaller group to work with them further.

Created January 27, 2007