Week 5 · Theme 1, Lesson 5 Digital Research Skills · 3 lessons
3
Search fields: subject, title, author, date
ICT P6 Term 1, Theme 1: pp. 26–29
GoalSearch a database with key words, subject headings, fields and dates.
New words
key words · the most important words that tell what you are looking forsubject heading · a topic name used by a database to group items on the same subjectfield · a part of a record, such as the title or the authordate range · the earliest and latest dates that you allow
Explanation
To search a database well, follow steps. First, choose key words: for a project on desert animals, the key words might be desert and camel. Second, look at the first results. Many records show subject headings, which are the topic names the database itself uses. Pick a heading that fits and search again with it; you will often find better results. Third, use search fields. A record is divided into fields: subject, title, author and journal. If you know the writer, search the author field. If you want a title, use the title field. Fourth, set a date range to find the newest research, for example the last five years. Finally, write a small table of your plan, so you do not forget what you did. Remember to note down each source you use, with its type: a book, an article or a video.
key words→look at subject headings→search again→use fields and dates
Worked examples
Youssef’s project: ‘desert animals’. He types the key words ‘desert’ and ‘camel’. A record shows the subject heading ‘Camels – habitat’. He searches again with that heading and gets better results.
Field
Use it when…
subject
you know the topic
title
you know the name of the item
author
you know who wrote it
journal
you know the magazine
Farida wants every article written by one writer. She types the writer’s name in the author field. A search in the whole record would give pages that only mention the name.
Adel needs the newest research. He sets the date range from the last five years only. Old articles disappear from the list.
Class activity
Plan table. Draw a table with the headings: topic, place (database or catalogue), key words, subject headings, three sources and their types. Fill in a plan for the topic ‘kites in Egypt’. You do not need to search live; use ideas. Share your table with a partner.
Practice
1
Which field do you use when you know who wrote the article?
The author field.
2
What does a date range help you find?
The newest research.
3
Put the steps in order: use fields, choose key words, search again with a heading, look at the first results.
Choose key words; look at the first results; search again with a heading; use fields.
4
A pupil only uses a general search engine and pastes what she finds. Give two pieces of advice.
Try a database or catalogue too; write in her own words and name the source.
