- Types of Searches

What type of search you do is determined by your choice of search tools. What do you need?

“All” information on a subject.

If you want to do a comprehensive search and find “all” information on one subject, you will have to use many different search services.

Different search services, structured catalogues, library catalogues, databases, encyclopaedias, fiction and so on.

Orientation.

If you want to get an overview of the central resources for a subject, use the large structured catalogues. They are a good starting point when you begin to search for information on a broad subject.

Structured catalogues, encyclopaedias.

Answering a specific question.

If you have a specific question, use a search service and analyse which search method suits you with the help of the next paragraph.

Search services, databases, encyclopaedias, non-fiction, “ask an expert” services.

Monitoring new resources within a subject.

For monitoring new resources within a subject, use different news services - especially Usenet and other discussion groups on the subject.

News services that are online have an alert function where you can choose what you want to be updated on. More information on Usenet can be found at: Usenet Info Center Launch Pad (http://metalab.unc.edu/usenet-i/). A useful address when you are looking for discussion groups is, for example, the University of North Carolina’s Finding Information About Mailing Lists (http://www.unc.edu/lib/launcch/gilster.htm).