Research Techniques and Google Hacks

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Questions and Answers

What type of information would be best suited for finding statistical data?

Magazine articles

Journal articles

Books

Government/agency reports (correct)

Which of the following 'Google hacks' allows for searching within a specific domain?

Domain search (correct)

Allintitle

Phrase searching

Forced Boolean

What is one of the limitations of Google Scholar?

It includes government reports

It has a familiar interface

It is cross-disciplinary

It may miss certain scholarly articles (correct)

What strategy should you use when breaking down a research topic into concepts?

Consider different spellings and acronyms Signup and view all the answers

What does 'forced Boolean' in Google searching allow you to do?

Include mandatory terms in the search Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the OneSearch tool mentioned?

To find the title of the article and its full-text Signup and view all the answers

What is an important factor to consider when pasting the title of the article in OneSearch?

Correct spelling Signup and view all the answers

What services does the library provide through the delivery link?

Electronic delivery of journal articles and book chapters Signup and view all the answers

Who is Michelle Zafron, and what service does she offer?

A subject specialist; she provides research consultations Signup and view all the answers

What types of materials can be requested through the library's delivery service?

Digital articles and physical items Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus limitation of PubMed?

Tends to have a clinical focus Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an advantage of using Academic Search Complete?

Broad coverage on a variety of areas Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant limitation of APA PsycInfo?

Smaller in size compared to PubMed Signup and view all the answers

When using the AND operator in database searches, what is the intended result?

Requires all search terms to be present Signup and view all the answers

Which demographic characteristic is NOT commonly filtered for in database searches?

Hometown Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of scanning hits for titles and abstracts during the evaluation of results?

To determine relevancy to the search query Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about filtering in database searches is accurate?

Filtering enhances the search results' focus and specificity Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a limitation of APA PsycInfo?

Has a focus on social science topics Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Types of Information for Research

Books, websites, review articles, statistics, government reports, journal articles, magazine and newspaper articles are all sources of information for research.

Finding Information

Break a topic into concepts.
Brainstorm terms, synonyms, and different spellings.
Consider acronyms vs. whole words.

Google Hacks

Use these techniques to refine your searches:
- Phrase searching: Enclose a phrase in quotes for exact matches.
- Forced Boolean: Use + between terms to force Google to include them both.
- Double full stop: Search for content within a specific date range.
- Domain search: Filter results to specific domains, like .gov for government websites.
- Site search: Search within a specific website, like cdc.gov for the Center for Disease Control.
- Allintitle: Search for a phrase in the title of webpages.
- Excluding irrelevant results: Use - to exclude specific terms or websites.
- File type: Limit searches to specific file types, like PDFs.

Google Scholar

Google's attempt to index scholarly web content.
Advantages:
- Cross-disciplinary
- Familiar interface
Limitations:
- May not crawl all relevant content.
- Difficult to refine search results.

Databases

PubMed: The premier biomedical database.
- Primarily peer-reviewed.
- Allows for targeted searches.
- Focuses on clinical topics.
Academic Search Complete: Multidisciplinary database.
- Broad coverage across areas.
- Easy to search.
- May have a lot of magazine and newspaper articles.
APA PsycInfo: Largest resource for peer-reviewed literature in behavioral science and mental health.
- Useful for research on motivation, psychological/psychiatric topics.
- Easy to search.
- May contain magazine and newspaper content.
- Smaller than PubMed.

Other Databases

Web of Science
Global Health
Many others exist.

Combining Search Terms

AND: Limits your search, increases relevance.
- Requires both terms to be present.
- Example: "smoking AND nicotine replacement"
OR: Broadens your search, decreases relevance.
- Will search for either term.
- Example: "smoking cessation OR tobacco cessation"

Filtering your search results

Population/patient characteristics:
- Age
- Gender
- Other specific characteristics.
Publication specifics:
- Peer-reviewed/scholarly
- Publication type
- Publication dates
- Language

Evaluating Research Results

Scan search results and read titles/abstracts for relevancy.
If results are not on target, revisit your search strategy.

Finding Full-Text Articles

Method #1: Use citation link provided in the database.
Method #2: Search in OneSearch (UB Library):
- Use exact spelling and quotations for better results.
- Log in to your account.
Method #3: Request articles through UB Library's Electronic Delivery Service:
- Request journal articles, book chapters, and physical items.
- Articles are delivered electronically, while physical items are shipped to the library location of your choice.

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Description

Test your knowledge of various types of information sources and effective research techniques. This quiz covers methods for breaking down topics, brainstorming terms, and utilizing advanced Google search tips for better results. Sharpen your research skills with this engaging quiz!