Practice Quiz - Advanced Searching
What would you include in your Google search string if you specifically wanted to retrieve results that did not contain the word SUMMER?
-summer
Think carefully about this question - which operator (AND, or OR) will give me FEWER results in my search within a research database?
AND This will give you FEWER results because the results you receive MUST include the specified keywords.
TRUE or FALSE - In Google you can use the asterisk (*) symbol at the end of a root word to find multiple versions of that word.
FALSE Google does not recognize truncation symbols as it automatically looks for varieties and synonyms of your keywords.
TRUE or FALSE - You can use all of the Boolean Operators in Google the same as you use them in Research Databases.
FALSE Google follows its own specific rules when it comes to operators. For instance, Google uses the minus sign (-) instead of the NOT operator to exclude specific words in your search results.
TRUE or FALSE - It is necessary to write your different search strings within parenthesis (called "nesting") in a Research Database search so that the engine can differentiate between specific commands.
FALSE Since Research Databases have multiple search fields it is not necessary to use nesting.
Describe one benefit to using Research Databases instead of using Google for a collegiate research paper.
Research databases provide peer-reviewed, scholarly content written for professional publications.
TRUE or FALSE - In Google, the OR operator must be written in ALL CAPS so the engine will understand it as a command, not just another word to search for.
TRUE
TRUE or FALSE - Phrase searching works the same in both Research Databases and Google.
TRUE
Search strategy used to find various forms of a keyword.
Truncation
Write an example of when you would use a truncation symbol in a search (within a research database) for information about community service options for teenagers in Massillon.
"community service" AND teen* AND Massillon
Write an example of a Google search-string if you wanted to find used cars for sale in northeast Ohio.
"used cars" AND "for sale" AND ("Northeast Ohio" OR Massillon OR Akron OR Canton OR Cleveland)
Why is it important to consider several variations and synonyms of a keyword within a search conducted through Research Databases like Academic Search Premier?
Because research databases do not automatically look for synonyms of the keywords you enter in the search.
Why is it necessary to use the nesting strategy within a Google search?
It is necessary to nest your different search strings within parenthesis in Google because you are working with only ONE search field.
Used in Google searches, this strategy imitates the multiple search fields of a research database:
Nesting
Think carefully about this question - which operator (AND, OR, or NOT) will give me MORE results in my search within a research database?
OR This will give you MORE results because you're giving the database options.
Search strategy used to find results that contain an intact multi-word phrase or concept.
Phrase Searching
What would I do to my keyword within GOOGLE if I didn't want the search to retrieve multiple versions and synonyms of a keyword?
Put your keyword in quotation marks. This will turn off Google's feature to search for various forms and synonyms of your specified keyword.
If I were conducting a GOOGLE search for information about community colleges that offer design programs, what should I change in this search string to find a more accurate list of results? "community college*" AND "design program*"
Remove the asterisks (*) from the keywords as Google does not recognize truncation symbols. Google will automatically look for various versions and synonyms of keywords.
What is "nesting" used for?
To connect like-terms within parenthesis using the OR operator
I want to find dog-friendly restaurants in Massillon. What's wrong with this search string: "dog-friendly" AND "restaurants" AND "Massillon"
Unnecessary quotations -
