How to begin searching

To be a successful and efficient library researcher, follow these steps:

• Be specific about what you want to find. Articulate your need as a statement or question.

I want to examine the argument that women detract from the effectiveness
of the military in combat situations.

• Select the most important concepts from your research question.

women

military

combat

• Now identify appropriate keywords that describe your concepts:

women

military or armed forces

combat or battle

• Now connect your keywords appropriately:

women and (military or armed forces) and (combat or battle)

• Do a keyword search in MUSCAT or another online database using your search strategy.

If you're happy with the results, you're finished. If not, then use subject headings you find in your results as the basis for a new search:

• Scan titles until you find one or two that look good for your topic.
• Examine the results. Notice what words are used to describe the concept in which you're
  interested. Use those words in your next search. If your keyword search produced too
  many results, try a subject search using actual subject headings you find in the catalog.
  A subject search is narrower than a keyword search.

Remember: this strategy works for all databases, not just MUSCAT.