Strategi Penelusuran yang Dilakukan Mahasiswa S1 USU pada Database Clinicalkey

Abstract

The research aims to find out the searching strategies undergone by USU undergraduate students on the ClinicalKey database. This is descriptive qualitative research and the informants are determined using purposive sampling. There are 6 informants in this study, namely the students of FK (Faculty of Medicine). FKG (Faculty of Dentistry), FKM (Faculty of Public Health), FPsi (Faculty of Psychology), FKep (Faculty of Nursing), FFram (Faculty of Pharmacy) in USU. Data analysis techniques employed are data reduction, data presentation, and inference conclusion drawing which aims to analyze relevant, meaningful and important data. Data are collected using observation, interviews and documentation. Data are tested using triangulation, namely triangulations of data, theory, and method. The results indicate that the information searched-by the students are related to assignments given by lecturers and they understand the topic before conducting a search. In addition, to determine the subject, they directly conduct a search by using the existing topic titles. At the stage of synonym identification, the students identify them using KBBI then retranslate them using google translate. In formulating queries, there are only a few students use search techniques, namely by using Boolean operators. The students filter their search results again using "By filter available on the ClinicalKey database when they want to search for information, and by opening the documents one by one because they are not aware that "By" filter is available on the ClinicalKey database. The students also do different ways when evaluating their search results by using "By" filter available on the Clinicalkey database according to their needs. However, not all students save their search results because they are not aware that a storage feature is available on the ClinicalKey database so all students choose to download their findings directly using available features because it is easier and free of charge.