Turn a question into search terms and source types

Unit ID: AIT-M06-U02 Estimated active time: 15-20 minutes

The main idea

Better search begins with clearer terms and source categories.

Most unsuccessful searching is a vocabulary problem. The information exists and is filed under words you did not think of.

Why this matters

Naming the source type first narrows the search more than any keyword does, and it tells you when to stop — you are done when you have the official page, not when you are tired.

Safe example

A broad question becomes official pages, reviews, documentation, reports, and expert sources.

Five categories, each answering a different kind of question, and each with its own reliability.

Better working habit

Ask for search terms and source types separately.

Combined, you get plausible search strings pointing nowhere in particular. Separated, you get a vocabulary list and a target list.

What to watch for

Do not treat all source types as equally reliable.

A vendor's own documentation is authoritative about their product and not about their competitors. A review site is the reverse.

Mini practice

List source types for one safe research question.

For each, write what it is authoritative about and what it is not.

Check yourself

Before moving on, answer:

• What words would someone filing this information have used?
• Which source type answers which part of my question?
• What is each source authoritative about, and what is it not?