Searching for Information Sub-Modules:

Formats and Types of Information

Searching Tools

Searching Skills

Evaluating the Search Strategy

Links to:

Searching for Information (Module) Home Page

Information Instruction Services Home Page

Searching Tools

Select the appropriate tools (e.g., indexes, online databases) to search a particular topic. Search tools serve as the access points into information containers, organizing and describing the information in the container (formats and types of information).

There are three primary searching tools:

• the library's online catalog of holdings (OPAC)
  • gateway to a multiplicity of information sources
• databases
  • indexes with abstracts; some with full-text content
• the Web
  • search directories and engines

The major points of access into the searching tools include:

• keyword
• subject
• title
• author

We recommend you first review the major points of access into the searching tools, beginning with keyword searching.