Library:OpenStax CNX Search Plan
OpenStax CNX
Search results are populated in a shared Google spreadsheet where faculty can approve content useful for courses.
Links to faculty approved learning objects can be found on the Bioflex Content Curation site
About
Openstax CNX, formerly known as Connexions, is supported by Rice University.
Content is made available to freely share and re-use, making it open access under CC license Attribution 4.0.
Biology 112
Unit 1: Cells
"cell structure" + phospholipids = 70 results
"cell structure" + "phospholipid bilayer" = 6 results
"biological macromolecules" + lipids = 6 results
"nucleic acids" + cells + organelles. Science & Technology filter applied = 6 results
"nucleic acids" + dna + rna = 74 results Applying filter by year (2014) = 21 results
"cell function" + "amino acids" + "membrane structure" + proteins = 10 results
"cell function" + carbohydrates = 164 results
"cell function" + carbohydrates + macromolecule = 18 results
Unit 2: Genes to proteins
transcription + translation = 108 results
replication + transcription + translation = 38 results
"regulation of gene expression" = 4 results
"eukaryotic gene regulation" = 8 results
"lac operons" = 9 results
"lac operons" + repressor = 3 results
Unit 3: Metabolism
"cell growth" + metabolism. Apply Science & Technology filter = 131 results Filter by 2014 = 38 results
metabolism + catabolism + anabolism = 35 results
BIOL 121
Pyramid of Productivity
"trophic level" + "food web" = 12 results
Genetics
Mendel + meiosis + genetics = 14 results
Mendel + meiosis + genetics + alleles = 16 results
Evolution
"population genetics" = 228 results
"population genetics" + "allele frequency" = 11 results
"mechanisms of evolution" + "genetic drift" = 19 results
evolution + adaptations + fitness. Apply filter: Science & Technology = 50 results
Note: Search results were retrieved July 2014
Search terms were a combination of the biology subject topics and keywords from the OpenStax vocabulary
Search Efficiencies
- The main search field offers similar features to the advanced search. The advanced contains fields to search by title or author.
- Use the search box to enter keywords or select from the Subjects provided to browse
- Use advanced search to combine both keywords, subject, and to sort by publication date.
- Keyword combinations are important. The more precise your word choice, the better the results Example: eukaryotes + eukaryotic + eukarya
- Boolean operators are not applicable. AND is implied
Limit your search
- Filtering the search results will quickly narrow the number of hits
- Browse the list of keywords under “Filters.” This is a useful place to find other possible search terms to combine in a new search or add to the existing search
- Selecting dates by year readily retrieves the most recent additions to OpenStax
- Apply one filter at a time to ensure that you are finding all of the relevant material. Selecting too many filters at one time could eliminate content that may be of use
Notes & Tips
- Learning objects are identified as either Modules or Collections.
Modules are “knowledge chunks”
Collections are “groups of modules structured into books or course notes”
- Many of the learning objects contain links to relevant videos or animations, which could be linked into course content
- Searches may take some time to return results. The website's speed can vary
- Results will list derivative works of the same learning object and will typically be lumped together
Other search options
- Browsing by subject is an option, but the subjects are at a very high level (Science & Technology)
- Use “quotation marks” to keep phrases intact and help return a more relevant set of results Example: "genetic drift"
- Add and subtract keywords by clicking the X in the corner of each word
Sample Search
Example of Biology 112 Unit 1 search using the best practices outlined above:
- Concept: Cells
- Unit 1 Topic: The cell’s utility of biomolecules and organelles
Entering the broader terms biomolecules and/or macromolecules retrieves a large set of results.
To retrieve a narrower set of results, more specific terms related to the learning outcomes were selected and combined.
Example:
- cells AND "nucleic acids" AND organelle
This search can be entered into the generic search box without the ANDs, but with the Advanced Search, additional filters can be applied to narrow results.
Advanced Search
The results identifies labels for each search selection. Notice how "organelle" is part of the cnx keywords already recognized in its database.
Library:Biology 112/121 OER Search Plans
As part of the BioFlex project, this page is intended to assist with searching OpenStax cnx and was created by Sarah Parker