Make Your Searching Count
It's unlikely that you'll find exactly what you need the first time you hit the "search" button. The key to successful searching is to be flexible and open to approaching your topic from different angles. Here are some key things to keep in mind:
- Search in more than one place. Different databases focus on different subjects and have different mixes of resources, so you'll rarely get the full story from a single place.
- Express concepts in multiple ways. For example, GMO, genetic modification, and genetic engineering all have similar meanings but will return different sets of search results depending on which you use. Try different combinations of search terms to see what you find.
- Be on the lookout for new search terms. Sometimes, during your searching, you'll come across a word or phrase you never knew existed, but that captures some aspect of your topic. Try incorporating it into your search!
