ASSIGNMENT

EXPATIATE ON THE TERM SEARCH STRATEGY

 A search strategy includes a combination of keywords, subject headings,

and limiters (language, date, publication type, etc.)
 A search strategy should be planned out and practiced before executing the
final search in a database.

 A search strategy and search results should be documented throughout the

searching process.

A search strategy is an organized combination of keywords, phrases, subject

headings, and limiters used to search a database.
Your search strategy will include:

 keywords 
 boolean operators

 variations of search terms (synonyms, suffixes)

 subject headings 

Your search strategy may include:

 truncation (where applicable)
 phrases (where applicable)

 limiters (date, language, age, publication type, etc.)

A search strategy usually requires several iterations. You will need to test the
strategy along the way to ensure that you are finding relevant articles. It's also a
good idea to review your search strategy with your co-authors. They may have
ideas about terms or concepts you may have missed.
Additionally, each database you search is developed differently. You will need to
adjust your strategy for each database your search.  For instance, Embase is a
European database, many of the medical terms are slightly different than those
used in MEDLINE and PubMed.

Choose search terms

Start by writing down as many terms as you can think of that relate to your
question. You might try cited reference searching to find a few good articles that
you can review for relevant terms.
Remember than most terms or  concepts can be expressed in different ways.  A few
things to consider:

 synonyms: "cancer" may be referred to as "neoplasms", "tumors", or

"malignancy"
 abbreviations: spell out the word instead of abbreviating

 suffixes

 generic vs. trade names of drugs

Search for the exact phrase

If you want words to appear next to each other in an exact phrase, use quotation
marks, eg “self-esteem”.
Phrase searching decreases the number of results you get. Most databases allow
you to search for phrases, but check the database guide if you are unsure.
Truncation and wildcards
Many databases use an asterisk (*) as their truncation symbol to find various word
endings like singulars and plurals. Check the database help section if you are not
sure which symbol to use. 
"Therap*"
retrieves: therapy, therapies, therapist or therapists.
Use a wildcard (?) to find different spellings like British and American spellings.
"Behavio?r" retrieves behaviour and behavior.

EXPLAIN WHY A PARTICULAR DATABASE MAY BE SUITABLE FOR

A PARTICULAR RESEARCHER AND NOT FOR ANOTHER
Database subject headings are controlled vocabulary terms that a database uses to
describe what an article is about.
Using appropriate subject headings enhances your search and will help you to find
more results on your topic. This is because subject headings find articles according
to their subject, even if the article does not use your chosen key words.
You should combine both subject headings and keywords in your search strategy
for each of the concepts you identify. This is particularly important if you are
undertaking a systematic review or an in-depth piece of work
Subject headings may vary between databases, so you need to investigate each
database separately to find the subject headings they use. For example, for
MEDLINE you can use MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) and for Embase you
can use the EMTREE thesaurus.
SEARCH TIP: In Ovid databases, search for a known key paper by title, select
the "complete reference" button to see which subject headings the database
indexers have given that article, and consider adding relevant ones to your own
search strategy.
Use Boolean logic to combine search terms

Boolean operators (AND, OR and NOT) allow you to try different combinations of
search terms or subject headings.
Databases often show Boolean operators as buttons or drop-down menus that you
can click to combine your search terms or results.
The main Boolean operators are:

 OR
 AND

 NOT

OR is used to find articles that mention either of the topics you search for.
AND is used to find articles that mention both of the searched topics.
NOT excludes a search term or concept. It should be used with caution as you may
inadvertently exclude relevant references.
For example, searching for “self-esteem NOT eating disorders” finds articles that
mention self-esteem but removes any articles that mention eating disorders.
Advanced search tips
Adjacency searching 
Use adjacency operators to search by phrase or with two or more words in relation
to one another. Adjacency searching commands differ among databases. Check the
database help section if you are not sure which searching commands to use. 
In Ovid Medline
"breast ADJ3 cancer" finds the word breast within three words of cancer, in any
order.
This includes breast cancer or cancer of the breast.

Cited Reference Searching

Cited reference searching is a method to find articles that have been cited by other
publications. 
Use cited reference searching to:

 find keywords or terms you may need to include in your search strategy
 find pivotal papers the same or similar subject area

 find pivotal authors in the same or similar subject area

 track how a topic has developed over time

Cited reference searching is available through these tools:

 Web of Science
 Scopus

 Google Scholar
STATE THE WAYS IN WHICH ACADEMIC LIBRARIES CONTRIBUTE
TO THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES OF THE INSTITUTION

Librarians as leaders of student affordability initiatives

Under increased pressure to demonstrate their impact on student success, many
academic libraries are offering programs to educate faculty and students one Textbooks
and open educational resources. A multitude of institutions are tackling the issue of
student affordability head on. Just to name a few: NYU has been piloting Textbook
program, the University of Washington has a grant available for faculty to provide open
textbooks, Temple University hosted a workshop for faculty to provide instruction to the
world of open educational resources, and Rutgers University has implemented the Open
and Affordable Textbooks (OAT) Program to help relieve the burden of costly course
materials for students.

Libraries expand outreach programs to reach larger audiences on important

topics
In an effort to amplify outreach efforts, academic libraries are now often seen
hosting workshops and events to proactively answer researchers’ questions and connect
them with the resources they need to succeed in their work. Recently Brown University
started a Library FYI workshop, covering basic resources and “keys to efficiently
wrangling information” as well as a drop-in workshop on “Citing and Publishing Your
Data.” Southern Methodist University has adopted this approach as well, offering a
“Request a Workshop” option where students can choose the topic and preferred timing
in order to accommodate their busy schedules.
Combining two of the best things: books and food!
In April, many institutions are participating in edible book festivals, where
contestants turn their favorite books into edible art and compete for prizes. Schools like
Georgetown University, Pennsylvania State University and Johns Hopkins University are
joining the edible book festival trend this year as a fun way to demonstrate the love of
reading and express creativity.
Expanding the possibilities of research direction
Although research often starts in the library, it doesn’t always have to end there!
The University of Washington is hosting a unique program titled “Going Public:
Connecting Research & Community,” where attendees will explore ways in which
students can engage with the community in the research process “through public
scholarship, citizen science, community-engaged research, and participatory research.”
This program will include panel presentations from community participants and
researchers, graduate student poster displays of success stories, and several
workshops. This is a great way for researchers to connect with like-minded people,
involve members of the public in research, and explore different ways of conducting
research.

Libraries are improving user experience

A major challenge that librarians continue to face is promoting awareness of the
library’s resources and encouraging its users to leverage the library website as a starting
point for search. But without an up-to-date interface and user-friendly navigation, many
researchers won’t take full advantage of all of the opportunities their institutions’ libraries
have to offer. To address this challenge, many schools like the University of Notre Dame,
the University of Pennsylvania, and Dartmouth University are building new websites,
taking into consideration a great deal of feedback and troubleshooting to deliver the best
user experience and gateway to their libraries.

Libraries are transforming their physical spaces

To stay relevant, librarians are taking on more than just their websites—their
physical space is getting a refresh as well. Librarians know that the library is no longer
simply used for its stacks, but that it requires modern and open study areas, computer
zones, and meeting spaces to accommodate a more tech-oriented, collaborative culture.
For example, Princeton University is planning to renovate its Firestone Library in order to
create a building “that is well-suited to support library services and contemporary
approaches to scholarship.” Similarly, the University of Michigan is building a brand new
Special Collections Research Center “with newly-renovated spaces for reading,
instruction, and consultation, designed to maximize the opportunities for engaging with
the library’s extensive collection.”

Providing opportunities to promote projects and get published

Among the many other hats that they wear, librarians are some of researchers’
most valuable advocates. In order to help users navigate the publishing process and see
success in the competitive world of scholarly communications, librarians are providing
opportunities for researchers to learn from each other. In one such example at Concordia
University, the library is hosting its Research Forum, an event that provides librarians,
archivists, graduate students, teaching faculty, and information professionals with an
opportunity to “describe and promote their completed or in-progress research practical
case studies, or projects.” Using a different approach, Georgetown University will have a
Hoyas Publish Fair for students who want to get published, are interested in working on
student-run publications, or want to read other students’ published work.

Librarians give students a platform to be heard

Many academic libraries recognize the need to communicate with student
researchers directly to learn about their library needs, rather than make educated
guesses on their behalf. The University of Michigan, for instance, has recently started a
Student Engagement Ambassador program, and are hiring for Fall 2018. This program
will use students to reach students. The engagement ambassadors “will plan events at
the library for fellow students and participate in the library’s social media channels for
marketing and research”. Similarly, the University of Alberta has developed the Help Us
Break Barriers program and is requesting students be part of a focus group to help test
the accessibility of library spaces, the library website, and its programs and services.

Incentivizing research to enrich student experience

Award programs are one way in which libraries provide benefits to students as an
acknowledgement of their hard work. Through its Archival Scholars Research Awards,
the University of Pittsburgh has not only helped accomplish this goal, but also facilitates
a deeper connection between undergraduate students and their research materials,
career plans, and fellow researchers. Offering award recipients a monetary stipend to
develop independent research projects that draw on the library system’s archives, this
program includes workshops, archival training, and presentations.

Libraries connect the community and raise support

Libraries across the world continue to lead events and activities that connect
researchers and students and enhance the community. At the University of Wisconsin-
Madison, the library is holding their semiannual book sale during National Library Week.
This sale is organized “to support the university’s annual lecture series, special
purchases for the library collections, preservation of library materials, and grants for the
visiting scholar program.” With the help of volunteers, the community event is open to the
public and includes books that have been donated by University of Wisconsin faculty,
staff, students, and Madison-area residents. Not only do events like this raise money in
support of libraries’ collections and activities, but they also help preserve books, spread
the joy of reading, and connect the community.
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