Basic Search Tips
1. Put phrases in quotations.
- There is an invisible AND in between every word you type into a search bar.
- Databases will look for the terms you type into the search bar in the Title field, Subjects Field, and Abstract (or Description) Field.
- Putting phrases in quotations will tell the database to keep those words together as a phrase, which can help make your search results more accurate.
2. Use the Boolean Operators (Or logical connectors) to tell the database how to search.
AND, OR, NOT
- You can use these in main search bars, but it is even easier when you go into "Advanced Search."
3. Truncate
- Take the endings off a words and replace them with an asterisk. So, you are left with the root of the word plus the *.
Example: childhood
With truncation: child*
Now, the database will search for all of the following words: child, childs, childhood, childlike, children, childrens
