The way that you search within a database is different than how you might search on Google. If you try to search for your topic as sentence in the database, like you might on Google, you will have a hard time finding relevant results. Before jumping into your research you should spend a few minutes brainstorming keywords. Watch the video on selecting and using keywords.
Advanced Search Techniques:
- Using Quotations
- Requires keywords to be searched as a phrase.
- Ex. Finds “Global warming” instead of the default AND between keywords: Global AND warming
- Using Parenthesis
- Parenthesis allow you to create more complex search strings.
- Especially useful when using OR operator in between similar concepts.
- Ex. (ethics or morality) and cloning- Searches for articles with either ethics or morality AND the keyword cloning.
- Using Truncation
- Truncation literally means "cutting short".
- To use truncation, enter the root of a word and put the truncation symbol at the end.
- Truncation symbols may vary by database; common symbols include: *, !, ?, or #
- Examples:
child* = child, childs, children, childrens, childhood
genetic* = genetic, genetics, genetically
Putting it All Together:
Example 1. Topic: You are writing a paper looking at the movement for human rights in China.
- Google Search: What is the current status of human rights in China?
- Keywords: human rights, civil rights, political rights, political freedom, social freedom, China, The People’s Republic of China.
- Potential Database Search: (“human right*” or “civil right*”) and Chin*
Example 2. You are writing a persuasive pro/con paper on the issue of corporate farming and animal rights.
- Google Search: What is a corporate farm and how are animal rights affected?
- Keywords: factory farm, corporate farm, animal rights, animal welfare
- Potential Database Search: (“animal right*” or “animal welfare”) and (“factory farm*” or “corporate farm*”).
Source: San Diego State University Library
