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LIBS 136: Bad Decisions

Research Guide for LIBS 136

Access Library Resources Online

Trying to access library resources online? Follow the instructions on the Online Access to Library Resources page to:

  • access library databases, articles, and ebooks, both on-campus and off-campus
  • troubleshoot error messages or other issues with accessing online sources from the library

Mardigian Search (searches all the library's databases at once)

Advanced Search

Search FAQs

1. How do I search for my topic?

  • Identify the main ideas of your topic and use those as your search words
  • Each article has tags assigned to it, words or shorts phrases that make them searchable - you want your search words to match those tags
  • Words like factors, effects, issues, relationships, links are usually not used as tags - don't include them as search words
  • Example: Your research question is: How is the perception of social risk shaped by the availability heuristic?
    • To search for this topic: social risk perception "availability heuristic"
      • "availability heuristic" searches for availability heuristic as a phrase, not separate words

2. How do I focus the search hits to those that meet my assignment requirements?

  •  Use Refine Your Search options to focus your search hits:
    • Click on Peer Review
    • Click on Journal Article under Content Type

3. I have too many irrelevant search hits. How do I focus them?

  • When you find an article that looks interesting, look at its assigned tags (words) 
  • Add any relevant tags to your search
  • This will also help you develop your research topics and search for books and articles for them 

4. How do I know my search words match the tags assigned to articles about my research question?

  • As you scroll through the search hits, look at the Subjects (tags) assigned to the relevant articles you find, and see if they match your search words 
  • Subjects (tags) also help you identify the specific populations or issues in your research area
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