Research Wizard Access Information

The Research Wizard contains a collection librarian submitted content consisting of authoritive Internet web links, library subscribed index or database references, pre-configured library catalog searches, and the like. This content it is stored in a categorical hierarchy in order to facilitate access to it. The hierarchy extends from most general at the top of the hierarchy to most specific at the bottom of the hierarchy. The four levels of this hierarchy, from most general to most specific, are metadisciplines, disciplines, categories, and then keywords. The actual content is associated at the keyword level.

The Research Wizard provides two methods of accessing its content, keyword search or hierarchal descent browsing. These methods are described in detail below.

Keyword Search

A keyword search is initiated by entering one or two search terms that are related to your field of research in the box at the top right corner of the Research Wizard screen and then clicking on the button that is to the right of the keyword box. You must remember that the search is only a simple word matching search, and boolean expression searching is not implemented in the Research Wizard.

The search results will display in the main body of the screen. The results are actually links to parts of the discipline/category/keyword hierarchy described above, and their visual format is:

discipline >> category >> keyword

Clicking on a keyword will display a page listing all content associated with that keyword. Clicking on a category will display all keywords that reside under the selected category and will allow for hierarchal descent browsing starting at that category. Finally, clicking on a discipline will display all of the categories that reside under the selected discipline and will allow for hierarchal descent browsing starting at that discipline.

Hierarchal Descent Browsing

Hierarchal browsing involves traversing the metadiscipline/discipline/category/keyword hierarchy described above. First the appropriate metadiscipline tab such as "Business" or "Sciences" is selected and clicked. Clicking a specific metadiscipline tab displays all disciplines that reside under the selected metadiscipline. Clicking on one of the displayed disciplines displays all of the categories that reside under the selected discipline. Likewise, clicking on a category displays all of the keywords residing under the selected category. Once you have reached the keyword level, clicking on a keyword displays the submitted content associated with that keyword.