Navigating Coulter Library Online Resources: CCN Instructor Guide: Multisearch

Introduction: What is MultiSearch?

MultiSearch is Coulter Library's powerful search tool, designed to help you and your students discover a vast array of resources, including articles, books, media, and more, all in one place! It looks at absolutely everything we have, encompassing both our physical collection here in the building and our extensive digital collections available online. This makes it an excellent starting point for any research project.

While MultiSearch is comprehensive, getting the most out of it requires a few key strategies. This guide will walk you through accessing MultiSearch, understanding its results, and utilizing its powerful features to find exactly what you need.

Accessing MultiSearch

Starting Point: Coulter Library Website

To begin, navigate to the Coulter Library website: www.sunyocc.edu/library.

Locating the MultiSearch Bar & Performing a Basic Search

Once on the Coulter Library homepage, you'll find our main search bar prominently displayed at the top of the page. This is your gateway to MultiSearch. Simply type your keywords into the search bar and press Enter or click the search button. For example, you might start with a broad topic like "climate change."

Understanding Search Results & Filtering

Overview of the Results Page

After performing a search, MultiSearch will present a list of results. For a broad topic, you might see hundreds of thousands of results! This page typically features the list of results in the center and a "Refine My Results" (Filters) section on the left-hand side.

Basic Algorithm Literacy: How MultiSearch Works

Unlike Google, which uses complex algorithms to predict exactly what you want on the first page, MultiSearch primarily matches keywords found in titles, subtitles, descriptions, and subject headings. This means you might not get the perfect result immediately, and it's essential to use the tools available to refine your search.

Common Mistakes in Searching (and How to Avoid Them)

• Typing Full Sentences: Students often type questions or long sentences.
  Example: American climate change and what average consumers can do to make a difference.
  This can lead to very few or irrelevant results. MultiSearch performs best with concise keywords.
• Not Using Filters: Relying solely on the initial broad results can be overwhelming and unproductive. Filters are your best friend!
• Assuming Google-Like Relevance: Remember, MultiSearch is designed for academic content, so its initial sorting may not be as intuitive as consumer search engines.

Using Filters to Refine Your Results

The filters on the left-hand side are crucial for narrowing down your results to something manageable and relevant.

• Available Online / Full Text Online: Click this to eliminate physical items in the library and show only resources accessible digitally. This is especially useful for remote CCN students.
• Peer-Reviewed Journals: If your assignment requires scholarly sources, select this filter to limit results to peer-reviewed academic articles.
• Publication Date: For current topics like "climate change" set a recent date range.
  Example: Past 5 years
  
• Resource Type: Narrow your results by specific formats like "Articles," "Books," "Newspaper Articles," or "Videos."
• Subject: Use the subject filter to narrow down your topic to specific elements.

You can keep adding filters to progressively narrow down your search results until you find a manageable and highly relevant set of resources.

Bonus Pro Tip: Basic Search Tips for Keyword Searching

To get better results right away, encourage students to use these keyword search tips:

• Use Specific Keywords: Instead of long sentences, use key terms that describe your topic.
  Example: Climate change vs. Global warming
  
• Combine Keywords (Boolean Operators):
  • AND: Use to find results that contain ALL your keywords.
    Example: climate change AND United States AND consumer
  • OR: Use to find results that contain ANY of your keywords.
    Example: Climate change OR Global Warming
    
  • NOT: Use to exclude a keyword.
    Example: NOT Commercial
• Use Quotation Marks for Exact Phrases: Put phrases in quotation marks to search for them as a single topic. Also, combine keywords to create "Strings" by combining search terms. This takes practice, but librarians are experts and can help!
  Example: "Climate change"
  Example: ("global warming" OR "climate change") AND consumer AND (America OR United States) NOT commercial
  
• Consider Synonyms: If your initial keywords don't yield enough results, try using alternative terms.

Features of Note

The Catalog Record (Item Details)

When you click on a search result title, MultiSearch doesn't immediately take you to the article itself. Instead, it opens the "catalog record" or "item details" page. This page provides all the essential information about the resource and how to access it.

Reading the Abstract/Summary

Almost all resources in MultiSearch will include an abstract or summary within their description on the catalog record page. It's incredibly useful to read this before accessing the full article, as it provides a detailed picture of what the article is about and helps you determine its relevance.

Citation Generator

Our library databases often include a built-in citation tool. Look for a "Citation" button or link within the catalog record. You can select your desired citation style (e.g., APA, MLA) and copy the generated citation.

The Pin Feature (My Favorites)

If you're logged into the library website (look for a "Sign In" prompt), you can use the "pin" icon next to any search result to save it to your "My Favorites" list. This allows you to easily revisit useful articles later without re-searching. All your pinned items will pop right back up when you log in.

QR Code for Searches (Instructor Tip!)

For instructors, a fantastic feature is the ability to generate a QR code for a specific search! After you've performed a search and applied filters, look for a QR code button. Clicking it will create a QR code for that exact search. You can then share this QR code with your students, allowing them to instantly access the refined search results you've set up, which can greatly alleviate initial search difficulties.

Accessing the Article (Full Text Availability)

To access the full text of an article, scroll up on the catalog record page and look for links under "View Online" section, then "Full Text Availability." An article might be available through several different databases; it doesn't matter which link you click, as they all lead to the same item.