Quick Information Search Tips
- Pick a topic that interests you.
- Ask librarian to see topic idea sources
- Read newspaper or magazine articles
- Ask your professor for ideas
- Focus a topic of interest.
- Target a time period or geographical area.
- Explore a viewpoint or group affected.
- Consider a specific problem, issue, or trend.
- Select types of information needed.
- Overviews (e.g, encyclopedia)
- Statistics (e.g., surveys)
- Research studies (e.g., journal article)
- News report (e.g., newspaper article)
- Identify important sources and tool(s).
- Article databases feature magazine, newspaper, and journal articles. IMPORTANT NOTE: Since not all databases feature every possible topic, ask a librarian about which database is best for your topic.
Strength - Current updates via news reports, research study findings, and consumer tips.
Weakness - May provide little in-depth topic discussion. - Library catalog includes books, government documents, and videos available in Lone Star College System Libraries and Montgomery Public Libraries.
Strength - In-depth topic treatment, possibly with extensive tables, charts, photographs, etc.
Weakness - Generally lack current topic information. - Web search engines list opinions, statistics, news, and purchasing information from a variety of sources.
Strength - Great abundance of current information via news reports, press releases, and statistical studies.
Weakness - Misinformation published by unreliable sources that is not always easily identifiable.
- Select important topic word(s) or phrase(s) to search. e.g., TOPIC = Negative effects of cigarette smoking on health, MAIN TOPIC WORD = smoking)
- Choose related words or phrases to narrow search. (e.g., smoking and health)
- Learn search options (e.g., check online help guides).
- Keyword vs. subject searching (e.g., schools and guns vs. school violence)
- Search limits (e.g., date, title, etc.)
- Word variations (e.g., comput? = computers, computing, etc.)
- Connect terms with words or symbols (e.g., and, or, not vs. +, -)
- Phrase searching (e.g., "trial by jury")
- Check your spelling. (many poor searches result from incorrect spelling so consult a dictionary as needed)
- Find resources in the library.
Use the call number found in the Library catalog to locate materials on the 2nd and 3rd floor shelves. Use the Periodicals Holdings List to locate articles in the library's periodical collection that are not available in full text online. Ask a librarian how to request books and articles from other libraries. We can get you almost anything you need! - Evaluate and select your results.
- Scan results for important topic words, dates, names
- Choose information sources based on reliable sources cited, author's background in topic, and relevancy to your needs.
- If results are less than expected:
- Try your search in a different search tool (e.g., database, search engine).
- Use related words or phrases for searching.
- Ask librarian for help.
- Cite sources correctly. Keep track of sources used and locate the appropriate citation guide (e.g., MLA, APA, etc.)