Easier, Faster, More Effective Searching!

Organize your search. Be sure you know what you're looking for! 

1. Define and analyze your topic.

2. Develop an active, ongoing search terms or keywords list. Include broader and more narrow terms. For example, Boy Scouts; youth groups; Cub Scouts. Include unique words, distinctive names, abbreviations, varieant spellings, synonyms, and/or acronyms.

3. Figure out where to search first and what to do. Different resources are best for different searches. The free Internet is not always the best or the fastest starting point!

4. Can you think of societies, organizations or groups that might have information on your subject? 

5. If you don't find anything, check your spelling! Use broader and/or more narrow search terms.

6. Still stuck? Don't spend more than 15 to 20 minutes searching without asking for help!

7. Quickly review results by skimming and scanning; locating keywords; looking for new search terms in bibliographies and footnotes.

8. Evaluate sources for bias and knowledge.

9. Keep track of information needed for MLA bibliography as you go!

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