Basic Search Tips
Unlike Google, library databases can't understand an entire sentence. So you'll need to break your topic down into the most important ideas - the KEYWORDS.
Example Topic: How did the U.S. presidency change in the twentieth century?
The specifics of your topic will matter when selecting sources, but for searching you only need the most essential components.
Keywords: U.S. presidency, change, twentieth century
Most words have synonyms that mean the same, or very similar, things. For each keyword in your topic, try to come up with at least one synonym. Not all keywords will have synonyms, but many do!
Example:
Keep an Eye Out
Sometimes scholars use terms that you might not be familiar with, or which might mean something very specific within the discipline. While searching, look for unfamiliar terms or words that show up a lot. Try searching for those and see if you find more relevant sources.
Most library databases have search tools built in. Try some of these:
- Subject: Think of subjects as official hashtags. Use them to find sources about that subject.
- Date Range: Limit your search to sources published between specific years.
- Peer Reviewed: Limit your search to scholarly journal articles.
Look on the left and right of your search results, or for an "advanced search" page to find these tools - and more!
Watch the below video for help on how to evaluate your sources with the CRAAP test.
Advanced Search Tips
Use the operator AND to find only sources that mention both keywords.
US Presidency AND change
This search will bring back fewer results than searching either keyword on its own.
Use the OR operator to expand your search with additional keywords.
20th Century OR 1900s
This will find sources that include either word, so you'll see more results than by searching for just one keyword.
Use the “QUOTES” strategy to search for several words in a phrase.
"U.S. Presidency"
"20th Century"
This will bring back results that only use that exact phrase.