Teaching Math

Developing a search query can be a challenge. Here are some tips to help.

• Check out a database's Thesaurus to find appropriate keywords for the item for which you are looking. 

• A longer search query helps databases retrieve more specific resources

• Using "OR" between terms will retrieve more results

• Using "AND" between terms will retrieve less results
   
• Use a * (star) truncation symbol, which acts as a wildcard to broaden a search by finding variations of a word's ending, e.g. psych*
   
• Use " " (quotation marks) to tell the database to treat the enclosed words as an exact phrase, e.g. "educational psychology"
   
• Add FNMI keywords to your search strategy as a separate concept to narrow the search results. For example: "first nation*" OR metis OR inuit OR aboriginal OR indigenous OR cree OR blackfoot
   
• When searching for math and science library resources, remember that some databases will allow limiting a search by resource type, e.g. realia, kit, object, games, etc.
   
• Add grade or level of education (e.g. elementary, secondary) to your search strategy.

Sample Database Search

Math* OR arithmetic OR geometr*

AND
"first nation*" OR metis OR inuit OR aboriginal OR indigenous OR cree OR blackfoot

AND
"elementary school*" OR "primary school*" OR kindergarten* OR "grade one"

The following keywords can be used in a Library Catalogue math search strategy. Combining some of the concepts below with the keywords math* OR arithmetic* will help filter out irrelevant results.

• Math:
  • Math* OR arithmetic
• Real Numbers:
  • fraction* OR ratio OR ratios OR proportion*
• Polynomial Expressions, Equations, and Ineqalities:
  • algebra* OR polynom* OR quadratic OR calculus OR logarithm*
• Geometric Objects, 2-D and 3-D Shapes:
  • geometr* OR triangle* OR angle* OR 2D OR 3D OR shapes OR volume* OR area*
• Theorems:
  • pythagore*
• Probabilities and Statistics:
  • statisti* OR probabilit*
• Graphs and Data:
  • graph* OR data

Combine your subject keyword terms with JUVENILE to limit to resources appropriate for K-12 when you search the Library Catalogue.

• Juvenile Literature = non-fiction
• Juvenile Fiction = fiction
• Juvenile = fiction and non-fiction

For example, an Advanced Search of the Library Catalogue for non-fiction publications of immigrant Canadian children's literature could look like the following. 

• math* OR arithmetic OR geometr*
  AND
  "juvenile fiction"

Search for resources containing mathematical problems and exercises, as well as different kinds of manipulatives in the Library Catalogue:

• Problems and exercises:
  problem* OR exerci* OR solution*
  AND
  Math* OR arithmetic
  AND
  elementary OR Primary OR K-12 OR secondary OR "junior high" OR "middle school" OR "high school"
   
• Manipulatives:
  manipulatives OR puppet* OR toys OR blocks OR specimens OR realia OR dice
  AND
  Math* OR arithmetic