Finding Sources Advanced: Vocabulary Definitions

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Finding Sources- Advanced: Vocabulary Definitions

Now that you have completed the module, check your definitions with the definitions listed here. They may be a little different,  and that's okay!

You will also have a chance to practice with this vocabulary on the next page!


Vocabulary Summary

abstract: brief summary of the contents of a source

AND : connecting term for keywords in a search. When used in a search box, searches each keyword linked together. Narrows the search.

backward chaining: using references in a source to find more sources

brackets: punctuation used to enclose a group of concepts when searching

citation chaining: using citations to find additional relevant sources. Can be forward (who has cited the source) or backward (references used in the source you are looking at)

database: a searchable list of published sources, specific to a discipline or topic

forward chaining: finding sources that have cited the source you’re looking at

Google Scholar: a search engine produced by Google that is focused on scholarly sources

index: similar to a database, an index lists sources specific to a topic, but will not include full-text. Some databases index articles from other databases.

keywords: the words that cover the most important concepts in your topic or question

limiters: options to refine your search and make your result list more relevant (and manageable to look through). These can include: peer-review, date range, geography, subject

peer-review: when a scholarly article or book is evaluated by a scholar's peers for scientific credibility and relevance

phrase: a concept or term that is represented by more than one word. Use quotes around the phrase to search, e.g. "climate change"    

Summon: UBC Library's search engine. Searches most of the library collection, returning scholarly and popular results. Found in the first tab labelled General on the home page

synonym: a word that means the same as another word


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