Abstract
While the number of online databases and other resources continues to rise, the quality and effectiveness of database searches does not. Over 80% of academic, public and school libraries offer some form of Internet access (American Library Association, 2000); thousands of full-text electronic journals and serials are available online. However, Hertzberg & Rudner (1999) found that most searches are cursory and ineffective, and they provide extensive recommendations regarding the mechanics of searching. A firm grounding in the mechanics of searching is vital, but an effective search is also an exercise in inquiry and critical thinking. We begin searching a topic with certain questions; as we collect information, we form hypotheses about the topic. These hypotheses in turn guide further searching, and are elaborated, discarded or modified as we learn more.
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