Search Strategy

1. Locate general background information on your topic
• Use general reference sources such as encyclopedias, handbooks, newspaper indexes, general periodicals, and the card catalogue. Periodicals and newspapers are important sources of up-to-date information on current issues and contemporary views.

*Remember: Use tracings located on the bottom of cards and the Library of Congress Subject Heading List to locate keywords.

2. Read materials and become familiar with your topic.
3. Select relevant keywords to use with indexes and abstracts.
• Indexes and abstracts are shortcuts to finding articles in periodicals and newspaper. Indexes give full bibliographic information (information to find the article), while abstracts also provide short summaries of the works covered.
• If you have a good reference use the reference list at the end of the article to locate other articles.
• If you have an important source, use Science Citation Index to find other references that use that source.
4. When using abstracts start with the keyword index
• Select abstract numbers that interest you
• Locate the abstract numbers in the abstracts volume of the same number
• Read the abstract
• Determine if the library has that periodical with the article in it by searching the Serial Holdings List
• Find call numbers in Serial Holdings List
• Locate periodical book
5. If using indexes, remember that they do not provide summaries of the articles, but only provide the reference to that article. Use the same procedure as above except start at the Serial Holdings List once you have the reference.
6. When using Computer-based searches, check on the cost. These can be very expensive. The main advantages of a computer-based search are that they save time, help locate materials that are hard to find by other methods, and search more materials. Once you have the computer printout of references for your topic, you must begin with the Serial Holdings List of the library.