It is helpful to think about your search strategy before you start typing into a database or search engine. If you take a little extra time in the beginning, you will increase the amount and quality of relevant information you find.
Once you have done some preliminary research and have developed a focus, you should start thinking about the keywords that describe your topic. While seemingly straightforward, selecting and combining keywords that will bring back the most relevant information can be a challenge. Brainstorming ahead of time will make the process a lot easier for yourself.
Log in to your e-Services account to learn more about choosing and using keywords:
Log in to your e-Services account for an overview of basic search techniques:
Boolean operators allow you to connect your keywords together in a search to either narrow or broaden your set of results.
The three basic boolean operators are: AND, OR, and NOT.
Example:
Using OR
Example:
Examples:
Log in to your e-Services account for an overview of additional search techniques and tricks for searching in databases:
Truncation (stemming) is a technique that broadens your search to include various word endings and spellings.
Wildcards substitute a symbol for one letter of a word.
Note: Truncation/wildcard symbols vary by database. Check the help screens to find out which symbols are used or ask a librarian for assistance.
Log in to your e-Services account to learn more about refining your search results:
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