Keyword Searching
Pro tip: Never ask a database a "question," because you won't receive an "answer."
The first part of the research process is performing a strategic information search. As an example, let's say we're trying to explore the question "Should college be free?"
When working with a catalog or database, it's important to remember that it accesses information according to simple phrases and relevant keywords. Unlike Google - which tends to be fairly responsible to searches posted like verbal queries - Library OneSearch isn't able to formulate an effective search if you try to "ask it a question." Instead, break down the research question into words andphrases that the database(s) can understand. The best way to do this is by using keywords that represent the topic.
Navigate through this page to learn how to create an effective keyword search.
Keyword Search Strategies: Starting Out
When starting a search, it's often useful to begin at the most basic level, using words and phrases that are commonly associated with your topic or research. In keeping with our example, we're going to review keywords related to the question, "Should college be free?"
Note that you can use keywords independently, such as "college" and "free" (below). Your results will include all items that have these two words somewhere in the item's associated record (either in the title, abstract, subject, publication, etc.). Depending on the keywords used, a search like this will likely generate a large number of resources (red box).
Or, you can use them as a short phrase, such as "free college" (below). When using a short phrase or combining keywords, be sure to place them in quotation marks. This will tell the database to search for items that includes those words together, in the order in which they've been written. This will usually narrow down the types of resources that are produced during the search, too (red box). 
Keyword Search Strategies: Refining Results
If you want to refine your search to obtain different results, you can create additional or alternate search terms or phrases that are related to the topic, but might offer different results. These are synonyms or other well-known terms for a topic that, when entered, will yield additional resources related to those phrases.
In our current example of free college, we can consider other terms that reflect this topic. So, terms like "higher education," or "post-secondary education," or the like (see below). The focus of your research or assignment may also affect the type(s) of search terms you use. If you're concerned with free tuition, for example, you might add "tuition" as one of your search terms. Or, if free housing is the main focus, you'd ass "housing" as a search term.
You'll notice that this affects the kinds of results you receive; they may be more or less specific to your research focus, so try as many combinations asyoucan think of until you find the resources you're looking for!
Using Filters
Looking for a specific type of resource, or getting too many results? Reduce your results by using the catalog's filters.
When beginning the search process - and especially when using general keywords or phrases - it's not uncommon to obtain a large number of results from your first few search attempts. While some of these items will hopefully be helpful, the majority will likely not be useful to your research. Or, you may be looking for a certain type of resource (e.g., a peer-reviewed journal article), and your results have been flooded with items that don't meet that criteria.
To work around this and get only what you need, you canfilteryour search results using the filters listed along the left side of the catalog page. These filters relate to certain types of resources (e.g., journal articles, books, chapters, newspaper articles, etc.)or qualities about those resources (e.g., peer-reviewed. published within a certain date range, subject-specific, etc.).Depending on the particular requirements of your research project, you can use these filters to isolate the kinds of resources that will meet your specific needs.
We'll stick with our example question of "Should college be free?" as we review this aspect of the topic.
Filters: Types
If you need to access only a certain type of resource, such as a journal article, book, book chapter, etc., you can use theTypefilters to obtain only items that fit the criteria you need. Checking the boxes for only the types of sources you're looking for will weed out irrelevant item types, and leave you with fewer (and hopefully more helpful) resources to review.
For example,you may be asked to incorporate peer-reviewed scholarship into your research (for more information about peer-reviewed sources, click here). Navigate to the "type" section of the filter sidebar, and select "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed)Journals." The list of results will automatically repopulate the results list.
After running the search, you'll be provided with a listing of sources that meet the required type that you selected. You can check the selected filters on the left sidebar (red box), and you'll note that the list of results has gotten smaller (blue box).
Filters: Date Range
If you're looking through materials that are published within a specific time frame, you can use theDatefilter to narrow your search results to items published within a specific range of years. Input the date range you require (in this example, the date range has been set from 2017 to 2023).The list of results will automatically repopulate the results list.Once the search is run again, Library OneSearch should produce only those articles that have been published within the selected range of years.
If you've included additional filters in your search, those aspects should also be included in your results list. You can check the limiters you've placed on your searches, and refine them as needed during the search process. Otherwise, Library OneSearch will remember the limiters you've placed on each set of searches, and incorporate those limiters into each new set of results.
Filters: Subject
Depending on the focus of your research, you may want to refine your results further by using theSubjectfilter. This filter organizes resources according to a topical category according to keywords that are associated with the item in question. Using this filter allows you to select resources that are related to a certain aspect of your topic, rather than all aspects that are included in Library OneSearch's subjects list.
In our example, let's supposed that we're most interested in how the concept of free college relates to college students. We'll select "college students"from the Subjects filter list, and apply the filter to our search (red box).
We can see how this considerably narrows the results for our search (from 1,522items, above; to 112items, below). Again, if you've included additional filters in your search, those aspects should also be included in your results list if you've selected the "Remember All Filters" option in the filtering list (blue box).
Just like your keyword search, you'll notice that all of these filters affectthe kinds of results you receive.They may be more or less specific to your research focus, so try as many combinations asyoucan think of until you find the resources you're looking for!
Subject-Specific Databases
Want to try searching in a database geared towards a particular topic, trade, or trend?
Oakland University Libraries provides its users with access to more that 200 databases, many of which are designed to promote scholarship and research related to a particular field or discipline.Unlike Library OneSearch, these databases provide access to content that's subject-specific, rather than inclusive of every item available at the library's disposal.
If you'd like to narrow your research focus even further, you can try these search strategies within a subject-specific database.
Check outthe link below to be directed to our full listing of databases.
Databases at Oakland University Libraries
Find the best library databases for your research. Use the drop-down SUBJECTS search to find databases related to your discipline.
