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 a sentence in the database as you would on Google then 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, also called stemming, is a technique that broadens your search to include various word endings and spellings.
- 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
