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Here's how to start:
Watch Library Tutorials #1, #2, and #3. Links to these videos appear in Learning
Resources in this week's Content list. They demonstrate strategies to use when finding
articles through OneSearch, a research tool that allows you to search on many databases
at one time.
1. Audio TRANSCRIPT FOR Library Tutorials #1
2. How to do a keyword search in the OneSearch box on the library homepage.
3. Let's say your topic is the uses of AI in the workplace.
4. Type in a simple search with keywords relevant to your topic, as in this example, "artificial
intelligence" and workplace.
5. That search tells the database to give you articles and other sources that contain all those
keywords.
6. Click the Search button to enter your search.
7. After clicking Search, you'll see the results screen where OneSearch shows you articles it found
based on your search. Some things to note on the results screen are, near the top, the number
of results for your search (over 2,600 in this case; near the bottom there are links to the entire
full-text of the article; and tools on the right enable you to get a permalink to the article, cite it,
email the article to yourself, and more.
8. On the left of the results screen are ways to limit your search: to scholarly journals only, by
publication date, and other options.
9. You can also adjust your search by adding keywords. For example, after doing some initial
reading about AI in the workplace, you may decide to focus your research on whether AI
improves efficiency or productivity.
10. You can retype your search in OneSearch like this, with the added keywords, efficiency or
productivity.
11. OR tells the database to give you results with either keyword or both.
12. I'll talk about the funny spellings of efficiency and productivity and the star symbol, in the next
slide.
13. Let's review some searching tips.
14. Use quotation marks around keyword phrases of 2 or more words. For example, "artificial
intelligence". Capitalize Boolean connectors: AND, OR Put keywords connected by OR inside
parentheses. And use the star symbol to search for alternative endings of keywords. For
example, efficien* tells the database to find the keyword efficient as well as efficiency.
and you can review the many research guides and tutorials on our website.
Audio TRANSCRIPT Library Tutorials FOR #2
Here's how to narrow your search using subjects.
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1. In OneSearch, enter the same search you used previously for your topic
2. On the results screen, at left, click on Subject.
3. The Subject menu will show you a list of subjects related to your original search.
4. The number next to each subject shows how many articles from your original search relate to
that subject.
5. The number will be less than your original search results, because you're narrowing your search.
6. Choose a subject, check the box next to it, then click on Apply Filters.
7. after you click Apply, OneSearch will limit your original search according to the subject you
chose.
8. It will give you new search results narrowed by subject, that will be fewer than your original
search
9. For more info on library research, contact the library 24/7 through Ask a Librarian, and use the
guides and tutorials on our website.
Audio TRANSCRIPT Library Tutorials FOR #3
1. OneSearch does a big umbrella search of most of our library databases, pulling in results from
many different subject areas.
2. Besides using OneSearch, it's also good to search in individual library databases that focus
specifically on the subject area of your research topic.
3. To use the Subject Guides, click the link on the library homepage.
4. On the Subject Guides page, you'll see a long list of guides. This image is just part of it! Choose a
subject guide that relates to your topic. For example, if your topic is about financial fraud, you
could choose the subject guide for Accounting. If your topic is about work from home policies,
you can try Business and Management
5. When you have chosen a Subject Guide, click on it, then navigate to Resources, and then
Recommended Databases. From the list of recommended databases, choose one from near the
top of the list.
6. Click on it, and then start searching!
7. Although the individual database you choose may look different than searching in OneSearch,
your keyword searching skills still apply! Enter the same search you've been using in OneSearch,
and start working with the results!
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15. Read the case below and complete the following tasks.
Assume you work for a company that is hiring more and more "Generation Z" employees.
Your supervisor has asked you to conduct research on issues regarding employees from
Generation Z. She's heard that Generation Z may have different expectations of the work
environment from those from older generations. In addition, she mentions that Generation Z
might have different habits with regard to their use of technology.
In short, she has a vague idea about this generation, but nothing very definite—and she'd like to
learn more.
Because she needs basic information, your task is to conduct a very general search on
Generation Z and their work or technology habits. You don't need to focus your topic now,
although she may ask you for more information at a later date.
Here's what you'll need to do:
(1) Using the strategies discussed in Video Tutorial #1, search on Generation Z and
work topics to find your articles. Your search can be broad at this stage.
- List the topic you searched (e.g., "post-millennials")
- List your search terms. Include at least three (3) terms. (e.g., "employees")
(2) Write the titles of the four articles and the journals in which they appeared. (e.g.,
"Understanding Generational Differences in Workplace Environments," Harvard Business
Journal)
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(3) Using the strategies discussed in Library Video #2, conduct a new search on a topic that's
either related to your major or to your work. As the video demonstrates, use quotation marks
around your search phrase.
- List your search phrase(s). (e.g., "academic writing")
- List how many search results you received. (e.g., 151,022)
(4) Focus your search from question #3 by using the SU-subject terms option from the drop-
down menu for one of the rows.
- List the number of search results you have after limiting the search by using SU-subject
terms. (e.g., 583)
(5) Finally, using the strategies mentioned in Video Tutorial #3, locate the subject guide for
your major. If you haven't declared a major yet, please select one that interests you from drop-
down menu.
- Describe any interesting resources you've discovered (1-2 sentences). (e.g., "Under 'Subject
Guides for Writing,' I found a link to a helpful website, Purdue OWL Writing Resources. It
includes tips on everything from grammar to APA, MLA, and CMS citations.")
