Constructing a good search can save you a lot of time and effort. By creating better searches, you can eliminate many irrelevant hits. The following search tips and strategies can help you find relevant articles.
BASIC SEARCH
Most library magazine, journal, and newspaper databases work in the same way. There is a search box in which to place search words, and then you simply click on the search button. Here are a few other search tips to get the best results:
ADVANCED SEARCH
Most library databases will have an advanced search option that allows you to search for terms found in either the title, subject, author, publication name or other portion of the article. This type of searching is more efficient in that the words being searched have to appear in one of these areas (fields) to be included in the results list.
MORE SEARCH STRATEGIES
If you are still having problems finding information, try the following search strategies:
Try Different Wording (synonyms) - Think of different words that describe your topic.
Try a Broader Search - Sometimes you may choose a topic that has little written about it or appears in the text of the article but not in the main search fields, such as title and subject. Try to think of a broader term that includes your topic. The more general the search, the more likely you'll retrieve articles.
Phrase Searching - Putting "quotes" around your search words tells the database that you are looking for that exact phrase.