What Should I Do First?
Start by reading "Why Use OneSearch".
And After That, What Should I Do?
Next, watch the OneSearch in OneMinute video to learn more about how to use this powerful tool.
Here's the Fun Part
Practice what you've learned by inputting the 1-3 keywords you used in the other databases into the OneSearch Box search field. You can also add more relevant keywords to refine your topic (see the examples in the OneSearch Tips box).
NOTE: If you're not familiar with OneSearch, consider completing the tutorials below; they're short and will give you some great practice.
Why Use OneSearch?
OneSearch can search just about all of the Los Rios Libraries databases simultaneously. So you can find the best books and eBooks, academic articles, news articles, videos and more in one simple search!
Sample Topic: Developing effective test taking strategies are essential to learning.
Sample Searches:
"test taking strategies" effective
"test taking strateg*" impact learning
Remember to take advantage of the limiters on the left of your search results to ensure you are getting current resources that you can access!
Follow the steps below to find articles like these:
1. Input keywords into OneSearch (e.g. flint water crisis settlement)
2. Select one of the articles that look relevant or useful to you.
3. To read the article, find the "View Online" section and click on one of the options (e.g. U.S. Major Dailies, Gale in Context, etc.). Note: You can also email a link to this article to yourself or view the MLA citation by click on the icons.
4. Read the full-text version of the article:
Search Tips:
Using Parentheses: Use these around keywords separated by the word "OR" to expand your search and get more results.
Example: dating (underage OR legal minor)
In the example above, we are running two searches at once:
dating underage and dating legal minor.
Using the Asterisk (*): Use this to shorten a word and search for all possible endings of a root word. This will give you more results
Example: poverty child*
This is searching for the keyword poverty and the keywords: child, children, childhood, etc.
NOTE: The asterisk * will bring back multiple results (e.g. child* = child AND children AND childhood...)
If this is the first time you've encountered OneSearch or you'd like to brush up on your skills using this resource, complete the OneSearch Tutorial. These tutorials will take 15-30 minutes to complete. You can also receive a certificate of complete if you score 75% or higher, and it will make a long-term difference in your ability to effectively search and find relevant sources, and that translates into time and energy saved!
Follow these steps to access it:
1. Go to OneSearch Tutorial
2. Select Go to the Course
3. Select OneSearch Basics
Once you've watched the video and completed the tutorial (if necessary), you'll be ready to dive into OneSearch.