Reference Desk: Tips for Effective Searching

Develop a search strategy

Formulate the research question and its scope

Identify important concepts

Identify search terms to describe those concepts

Identify synonyms and variations of those terms

Prepare search logic

Choose appropriate indexes or search engines

Use multiple indexes and/or search engines

Read the help page

Use boolean operators

Keep your search simple



Limit number of search terms in each query

Use word roots where supported

Avoid common words



Evaluate results and refine search


Limit or broaden search as appropriate

Explore cites in relevant documents



Don't get sidetracked

Take advantage of appropriate listservers and USENET newsgroups to ask the experts

Don't limit your search to just the Internet

Finding Information on the Internet | Choosing the Right Search Tool | Search Tips | Internet Search Indexes | Internet Search Engines | Evaluating Internet Resources| Reference Desk | Medical Radiography Home Page

This site maintained by Richard Terrass, M.Ed., R.T.(R), Dept. of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Address questions or comments to ricter@wn.net

Last updated Feb. 24, 2000.