GER 398 Hay: How to Search

1. Think about your topic and search terms.

1. Ask yourself, “What do I want to know?”
2. Identify your key terms
3. Make a list of synonyms for each term
4. Imagine the title of an article or two related to your subject and search for terms within those titles
5. Think of terms to avoid

2. Select the most appropriate databases

1. For thorough research, use databases found on the Articles & Databases tab.
2. Remember, by using the Murphy Library version of databases, you can benefit from our GetText network of internal links to full text. You will not get these benefits by searching free internet versions of these databases.
3. For additional, broader research use some of the databases found at the Most Popular Databases page.

3. Try a variety of searches

1. Don't try just one search. Try many different approaches with different search terms until you find relevant results
2. Refer to the Searching Online: Principles and Specifics guide as well as other Library Guides for specifics.
3. Try simple, one or two word searches first. 
4. Include synonyms in your searches, putting parentheses around synonyms. Example: (stress or anxiety) and management
5. If you are not getting enough results, use the * to finish a word. For example, universit* will return, university and universities.
6. Look for clickable subject headings, which find all articles that have been labeled as relating to that subject heading.

4. Look for the full text of your articles

1. When you find a citation to an article, look for a link to full text. 
    
2. Most UWL databases are cross linked, allowing you to find the full text of an article in another database without doing a separate search. Click on the GetTeXt icon for this functionality.
3. Enter the name of a specific periodical in the Periodicals Locator. This may lead you to the full text of the periodical in one of the many full text databases at Murphy Library.
4. Use Murphy Library ILLiad Interlibrary Loan service for items not available in your local libraries.

5. Get help

1. Contact the library Reference Desk. Call (608) 785-8508, (800) 881-4454, email refemail@uwlax.edu or use the Ask A Librarian online form.
2. Set up an Individual Research Consultation

Search@UW is a discovery tool that allows you to search for many types of information.  For this class you will use Search@UW to locate books within Murphy Library.  Here are some search tips:

1.  From the Murphy Library homepage:  Click on the link What is Search @UW?

2.  Enter your search term(s) in the box and select UW-La Crosse Books & Media from the dropdown menu.

3.  Click on Search.

4.  Use the facets on the left to narrow your search.

5. Note:  If a book is checked out from Murphy, but another copy exists at another UW library, it will show up when you click the Locations tab.  You can then submit a request for the book through UW System Resource Sharing.

6.  Can't find what you want within Murphy Library?  Change the search dropdown menu to Search@UW and proceed by using the facets at the left to narrow your results