1. How to search for relevant information

2. Preparing to search: PLAN WHAT am I looking for? WHY do I want it? WHEN? Time period? HOW? Document type? What is the best resource?

3. How to combine or group concepts

4. Grouping Concepts: AND retrieves only those records containing both search terms AND requires that both terms be in the same record OR retrieves all the records in both concepts NOT excludes the records from one of the concepts

5. The Search Sequence 1.Identify the topic 2.Identify main concepts & search terms 3.Group the concepts 4.Conduct the search 5.Evaluate results 6.Modify or adapt the search strategy 7.Search again

6. 1. Identify topic e.g. Find information on Environmental Education

7. 2. Identify main concepts & search terms Concept 1: Education Concept 2: Environment

8. 3. Group concepts Environment AND Education

9. 4. Conduct Search » 5. Evaluate results ConceptNo. of hits Education364 278 Environment 3 456 Grouped (AND) 222

10. 6. Modify or adapt search: Broaden search strategy Use synonyms: OR e.g. Environment OR natural resources OR ecology OR …..

11. Environment OR Ecology

12. 6. Modify or adapt strategy: Broaden search strategy Use truncation: environ*

13. 6. Modify or adapt search: Narrow search strategy Limit the search through:- Language Year Document type

14. 6. Modify or adapt search: Narrow search strategy Use NOT e.g. Environment NOT Behavioural

15. Environment NOT Behavioural Purpose: to exclude irrelevant records

16. 7. Evaluate records Criteria for evaluating journal articles retrieved: Quality and content: Relevance Authority of author Date Uniqueness of the information Number of records retrieved