Competency: Additional Search Practice

Browsing Search in Books in Print

I conducted a Browsing Search in Books in Print (BIP) database. First, I browsed the Subject (All) Index and entered s1 project based learning. I was directed to Project Management. No hits for my topic. Then, I started a new search and browsed the BIASC Subject Index and entered s1 project based learning. I was directed to Psychology. Next, I browsed the sub-subject Psychology-Education and Training. Again, no relevant hits were retrieved.

I began a third new search and browsed from the Quick Search, Keyword in Title from the drop down menu and entered s1 project based learning.

The result was 29 hits. I found 27 relevant to school based education.

The browsing search approach is a simple search strategy and the database does have a help function with downloadable user guides if I had wanted to continue with a different type of search. The browsing search did eventually bring relevant results but it took time to browse different fields. I would not use this approach when needing relevant information quickly.

Competency: Additional Search Practice

Building Block Search in DIALOG. The selected database is ERIC.

For the search, I used my blog topic Project Based Learning. I entered a string in the command box ss project based learning or problem based learning. Here are the hits:

Next, I entered in the command: ss teacher or educator. Here are the hits:

Lastly, I entered the command: ss learning style? or teaching method? Here are the hits:

Now, I have my three facets, I combined them by the command: ss s3 and s6 and s9.
Here are the hits: 195

I decided to set limits and entered a publication year following my blue notes
ss s10/2005 which resulted in 20 hits.
I wanted to know if there was any information exclusive to the current year and entered ss s10 and PY=2010 which resulted in 6 hits.
Here are the results and one of the hits.

I wanted to check for any misses using a different term. I entered the string in the command: ss inquiry based learning and received 0 hits.

Here is the cost:

I performed a building block search in DIALOG after printing the blue sheets, practicing on ONTAP, and studying the course notes. For a novice, the quick reference card and blue sheets must be printed off before planning the search. There are many codes to remember. It is apparent that a lot of time and money is consumed if the searcher must continuously refer to the blue sheets during a search. DIALOG is complicated and would not be my first choice in conducting a search.