Manual of Online Search Strategies

This manual is intended for librarians and students of librarianship who already have some knowledge of online searching, and may be proficient searchers on databases in one or two subject areas, but who also need to search in areas of lesser familiarity. It is not intended as an introductory textbook to online searching, but to provide the kind of "inside" information which is needed to carry out effective online searches in new subject areas. Each chapter, written by an experienced searcher, offers guidance on the kinds of search strategies which should be most effective within a particular subject area. Information is given, for example, on: the subject coverage of specific databases; choice and comparison of databases (including indexing procedures and updating policies); choice of host; and overlap. Frequent use is made of search examples to illustrate specific points. One appendix lists all the databases mentioned in the manual, together with the notes on which they can be found; and the other provides a list of database directories.