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Question 1 + answer

Which of these search methods is best when you are using literature references to find other relevant publications about your subject?

1. Snowball method

2. Keywords

3. Pearl-growing method

4. Search operators AND,  OR and NOT

Answer:

1. the snowball method: this is the most frequently used method for finding relevant publications.

Question 3 + answer

How can you define your subject precisely?

1. By searching with the operator OR

2. By searching with wildcards/truncation

3. By specifying a period in years

4. By using a synonym

Answer:

3. By specifying a period in years. All the other answers refer to actions that would do the opposite, i.e. broaden your subject.

Question 4 + answer

How can you combine different search terms to form a phrase/concept?

1. By using the operator AND

2. By using the operator OR

3. By placing the words between brackets

4. By using truncation or wildcards

Answer: 

The two correct answers are 1 (use AND) and 3 (use “.....”).

In some cases, the other option is to put the words in a single search box.

The options will depend on the database you are using, so it's a good idea to check using the Help function.

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