SAS databases search engines:

Use the basic search feature for this assignment. We will study the advanced search featured in a subsequent session together.

Try all of these searches (available on the down arrow in the search box)

1. Subject searching: Created by indexers or editors, subjects are assigned, based on controlled vocabulary, often associated with Library of Congress Subject Headings. Most useful for single topic searches and returns the most on-target results.
2. Keyword searching: Keyword searching allows for the user to combine several topics or subjects in one search. Looks for the terms in certain parts of the article such as the title, citation, abstract, subject headings, and as in Gale databases, searches the first fifty words in the article. Returns a larger set of results than subject searching.
3. Full-text searching: Searches all text of the document for the terms. If a choice is made to search for articles with full-text this means that the database also contains citations or abstracts; full-text searching in this case, returns only complete articles or documents.

 Free Web search engines:

 When using Google, use its Advanced Search feature to focus your search. Or learn how to use quotation marks, plus, and minus signs in the simple search box.

What does putting quotation marks around a phrase in the search box do?

What does putting a + (plus) sign in front of a word do?

What does putting a - (minus) sign in front of a word do?

Most students (and adults) are content to use the first two or three sites that seem to meet their needs instead of looking past the first page of results and using other search engines. Let's take a look at Debbie Abilock's chart on which search engine to choose for various information needs: http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine.html