The SmartSearch System: A Simple Solution for Undergraduate Researchers

Abstract

Many resources provided by academic libraries, including the catalog and journal index access, are now available to students online. However, many students have trouble effectively finding the information they need when using these resources: in general, students have little understanding of the way the catalog works, and expect it to work like an Internet search engine. One approach is to cater to students' search preferences, which is the strategy used in the SmartSearch System. This online tool accepts a search phrase from a user and matches it with several of the most relevant online journal indexes. Behind this tool lies a database, a user interface, a search algorithm, and a database maintenance user interface. This paper discusses the current problems in undergraduate researching, the implementation of the SmartSearch Systsem, and the ways in which the system addresses these problems.