#referencelibrarian

It’s been one week since I started this blog and I have already received so much support and encouragement. Thank you to everyone who has liked or reblogged a post and those who follow me!

The topic today will be about advanced search features, specifically Boolean operators and search modifiers. I will start by explaining what an advanced search is, how Boolean operators work, and how search modifiers change how words and phrases are searched. The resources at the bottom of the page include visual aids that might be helpful.

Advanced Searches

A typical search includes 1-3 keyword. This is generally called “keyword searching.”  An advanced search builds on this by specifying what the search engine should be doing with those keywords. On most websites, there will be a link to the advanced search page near the search bar. Google’s advanced search page is under the “settings” tab on the search result page.

The great thing about advanced search pages is that it will do a lot of the work for you. However, they can’t do everything. Understanding Boolean operators and search modifiers will enable you to conduct targeted and effective searches.

Search Modifiers

Search modifiers tell the search engine how it should interpret the words in the search. For instance, it can be used to group a phrase together or search for multiple words at once. The 3 most common modifiers are: “_”,*, and ( ).

Let’s say my cat ate chewed on a tiger lily flower in my house. I now need to know if I should take her to the vet or if tiger lily is a safe flower for cats. If I look at the keywords in that query, I would search for “cat tiger lily veterinarian.” This is a bad query because this search could result in results about tigers, flowers, or vets. Search engines have improved but are not perfect. The only way to guarantee the search engine performs the right search is to explicitly instruct it to.

“”

Quotations are used to group multiple words together as one phrase. If I want to specifically search for tiger lilies, I need to put “tiger lily” in quotations.

*

The asterisk informs the search engine to include all words that start with the word typed in. This process is called “truncation.” I could search for “tiger lil*” in order to include both the singular and plural form of the word.

()

Parentheses are similar to quotations but have some significant differences. It groups the keywords together. However, it does not limit them to being a phrase. They are primarily used with Boolean operators so I’ll explain this more later.

This instructs the search engine on how the words should be interpreted but not how they should interact.

Boolean Operators

Boolean operators are used to clarify the relationship between keywords in a search. There are 4 operators: AND, OR, and NOT. Most search engines exclude these words when typed into the search bar. Using all-caps informs the search engine that these words are operators.

AND:

The database should search for websites that have all of the keywords. It is the more targeted search. Cat AND “tiger lil*” will ensure that results will be limited to pages that have both.

OR:

The search results will be websites that have at least one of the keywords and is the default setting for most search engines. It is useful for searching multiple synonyms at once. The search query Cat OR feline will search for websites that have at least one of these two words.

This is where the parenthesis come into play. If I searched “tiger lil*” AND (cat OR feline), I would be given results for anything that uses the word “cat” or “feline,” in addition to “tiger lil*.” Other examples would be (“tiger lil* AND cat) OR (tiger lil* AND feline). That is a bit clunky but would technically work.

NOT:

This excludes any search results that contain that word. For example, I might want to exclude the word “cougar” if there is a popular article about a cougar needing to be hospitalized after eating plants. So that search might be cat AND “tiger lil*” NOT cougar.

The links at the bottom give more visual aids to understand how to use these and are handy to keep around for quick reference.

FURTHER READING

MIT Search Guide

Boolean Operators: A Cheat Sheet

Last week I wrote about conducting advanced searches with search modifiers and Boolean operators. This week, I am taking a step back and writing about developing search strategies. A search strategy, simply defined, is the method used to find resources relevant to your topic. Search strategies have 4 steps: 1 - discovering what interests you; 2 -  writing search queries; 3 -  evaluating the results, and 4 - reformulating the search queries. This post will cover the first 2 steps. I will cover the basics of step 3 next week.

Step 1: Discovering what interests you

Finding a topic to research can sometimes be the most difficult step in the research process. Sometimes you know exactly what you are interested in but oftentimes, you don’t. Even if you know the general topic, narrowing it down to a specific focus can be a struggle. My suggestion for people stuck at the very first step is to read through some Wikipedia articles. They are generally succinct, provide a decent overview, and link to similar or intersecting topics. 

Let’s say I am interested in Spanish cuisine. This is a giant topic that can be viewed from social science, gastronomical, or psychological lenses. Am I interested in historical or contemporary dishes? Am I interested in the regional variants - and if so, which ones? The more narrow the focus, the more precise and interesting the research.

There are many ways to develop a research focus.

Research forms (x,x,x,x)

Concept maps/mental mapping (x,x)

Event maps/5 W’s: who, what, when, where, why (x,x)

Step 2: Writing the search queries

Once you know what your specific topic and research focus is, I always suggest writing questions. These will automatically give you some keywords to start with. Let’s say I am trying to find some history about Spanish cuisine. The question then would be, “What is the history of Spanish cuisine?” Right there I have three keywords to start with: “history,” “Spanish,” and “cuisine.” These are the words I would then want to use in the search engine. 

I might find everything I am looking for with that first search. Most likely, however, I won’t. I might become interested in a specific dish, region, era, etc. I would then create additional questions. One of the best ways is to take the original keywords and find similar words or synonyms that might provide different results. Thesaurus.com is a great resource for finding more words.

Instead of “cuisine,” I might search diet, food, or dishes. Alternatively, I might search for specific dishes: paella, chorizo, salmorejo, etc.

Instead of “history,” I might search “origin” or a specific era.

Instead of “Spanish,” I might search “Iberian.” 

Each variation will lead to different results. 

Once you have those keywords, you can start constructing search queries using the strategies covered in the Advanced Searching post.

FURTHER READING

Search Term Generator

Picking a Research Topic Guide

Hi @homotorah,  thanks for asking me a question! This question is definitely an in-depth one. Jewish Studies and Sexuality/Queer Studies  are two disciplines that are chronically underfunded. These are topics that are not generally combined into one. I suggest searching Open Educational Resources (OER), which are academic resources that have free content. In this case, I am specifically interested in Open Access Journals (OAJ) that might have some cross-over. Here are a few websites that have comprehensive lists of journals:

Directory of Open Access Journals

Digital Commons Network

Taylor and Francis Online Open Access Journals

Open Access Queer Studies Resources

Wiley Open Access Journals

There are more OAJs but these are good starting points.

Not all of these have effective advanced search features. Since there is not a Queer Jewish Studies journal, I tried a different search method. I searched Google for “Jewish studies open access journals” and then went through the results. I searched “LGBT” in the Jewish Studies journals to find articles that intersect the two topics.  are a list of journals that included overlap:

Journal of Modern Jewish Studies

Journal of Jewish Identities

This method is cumbersome and only really useful for someone who loves the search as much as the finding. I suggest using Google Scholar to find articles.  While I plan to write about this great resource later, here is a library guide made by the University of Pittsburgh that is very comprehensive.

Finally, I suggest seeking out a subject specialist. This can be a rabbi or a librarian who has knowledge of both. Check out the library if you live near a state school. All state schools must grant some access to their resources to community members. It varies by person but some librarians are willing to help community members. Don’t be afraid to ask! Librarians love getting to work with people on their research.

There are two LGBTQ synagogues: Beit Simchat Torah in New York and Beth Chayim Chadashim in Los Angeles. The rabbis in those institutions would likely have some resources for you. But, really, your Google Drive is the best Jewish resource I’ve seen. Congrats on all the great research!

We use search engines every day. Generally, we are using keyword searches to find websites that provide information on a specific topic. However, search engines can do far more than basic searches. They have expanded their services through the years and can now conduct much more focused searches with a few tricks.

Modern search engines want to provide more than website links. They want to be so useful that you don’t even need to go to other websites. The information is on the search results page. In addition to displaying search results, most search engines include a box on the right side of the screen that gives basic information about the search terms. Each search engine will provide different information.

Location: Typing a location into a search engine will bring up information about the area such as a brief summary, weather, local times, and even flight and hotel costs.

Food: Search engines will provide basic information about an ingredient or recipe if you type the name into the search bar. While the kind of information will vary, it will typically give you the nutritional value, suggest recipes, provide relevant videos, and link to similar searches.

Math:Type a math question into the search bar and it will give you the answer. Typing “calculator” will bring up a scientific calculator for more complex math problems.

Unit conversion: Search engines can convert one unit to another, ex: oz to lb, inch to foot, etc. Simply type in the units you want to convert. Ex: 16 oz to lb = 1 lb

Define: typing in a single word will bring up a definition and offer synonyms or antonyms.

Hopefully these new tricks will make it even easier to find relevant information. Send me an ask if you have any further questions.

FURTHER READING

Google Advanced Search Operators Cheat Sheet

Boolean Operators

Search Engine Strategies

Hi @avital-mi-beit​, thanks for asking me a question today! I can certainly help you find some free resources for pattern-making and alterations. Here are a list of books and websites that can help you develop your sewing skills.

Hi @chibi-oneiros, thank you for asking me a question today! Finding free medical resources that are both reliable and accurate can be tricky. There are many websites that seem to be reputable but are actually full of falsehoods and misinformation. First, I am going to explain my method of evaluating a health website, list some websites that you can trust, and then some resources that will empower you to evaluate a website for yourself.

Hi @avital-mi-beit, thank you for asking me a question today! Urban foraging -  the practice of harvesting edible plants within cities and towns - is a popular practice for those who seek to reduce their dependence on buying food from grocery stores and want to have a deeper connection to the local environment. There are some hazards to this practice that should be avoided. Misidentification can lead to food poisoning, over harvesting can damage the local environment, and plants might have been sprayed with pesticides that should not be consumed. Thankfully, there are many resources to help negate these risks.

Resources under the cut:

Hi, anon! Thank you for sending me this question.

Essential oils can be great for many things. However, they are often touted as safe for consumption and medicinal uses. They can be true in many cases. However, used incorrectly, they can be fatal to both humans and pets. Finding reliable resources is vital to ensure that the oils are being used properly.

Resources listed under the cut: