Research Fundamentals                  NAME:___________________

.
Narrowing  the topic
     In order to get ready to search for information it is necessary for you narrow your
topic so that you will be looking in the right "ballpark", rather than several.

A- Arrange the terms in each of the following topics so that they move from the most
general to the most specific. 
   Put a number from 5 (most general) to 1 (most specific) in the blanks.
4 marks
1.  Ford____    vehicle _____   Taurus_____     car_____

2. chair____ furniture ____  rocking chair ____   interior decoration ______    seat___

3.  outdoors___  tulip ___ garden_____ yard___  county____

4.  hamburger___    Harvey's___    fast food____    meat____    food_____


Each of the following terms is very general -- use two other terms that are specific and
more specific.

                  Specfic                    More Specific
6 marks         
1. shoe  ______________________   _________________________

2. gun ________________________  __________________________

3. water _____________________  ___________________________


In the space below, do a web diagram of one or these topics:

          holidays           camping         a sport     

5








3. Decide where to look.
Where would be the best place to look for information on each of the following.  If you
can think of two places, list both of them.
5 marks
1. Beethoven____________________

2. The movie "Twister"__________________________

3. The score in yesterday's hockey game______________________

4. Space travel _______________________________

5. Pictures and text of ancient Roman civilization. ____________

Boolean Searching

1. Put a Boolean search term in each blank which will alter your search as instructed in
the brackets.
4 marks
a.  Toronto ____________ Montreal   (broaden)

b.  Hockey  ____________ Toronto    (narrow)

c.  Toronto ___________ subway      (narrow)

d.  Clarke  ____________ Orono      (broaden) 


2. Each of the following words is an incomplete search term.  Fill in each blank with a
boolean term that will alter your search, another word, AND THEN INDICATE
WHETHER YOUR SEARCH IS NARROWER OR BROADER.  
Example:
      Coffee            Or              Donut                                  Broader
8 marks
a.  Clarke          _______      ____________________  ______________ 

b.  automobile   _______       ___________________          ______________

c.  pizza             ________    ___________________       ______________

d.  mouse          _________    ___________________    _______________
___
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