Web Search Engines
Library Databases
Choosing Search Terms
Connecting Keywords
Truncation & Wildcards
Before you begin your search for information, it helps to understand when and how information is published. Think about an event like the September 11 terrorist attacks for a moment. When this first occurred, information was initially available in news sources, like newspapers, news websites, and radio and television broadcasts. After a week or so, information on the event began to find its way into popular magazines and other sources of news analysis. A month later, information began to appear in professional magazines and more in-depth news reports and analyses. Six months later, articles in professional journals and conference proceedings began to appear. After a year or so, books, government reports and articles in scholarly journals began showing up in bookstores and on library shelves. Now, several years later, the event is the topic of a number of scholarly books and journal articles, and even reference works like encyclopedias include entries on the subject.
The information timeline below reiterates the process of information dissemination. Roll your mouse over the each timeframe to see a sample of the sources where information is likely to be published.
