Search tips for finding an article:
- Each index has its own search rules. Check the Help Screens in the index you are using to see how it works. Note that some databases allow you to "limit" searches to full-text electronic journal articles, or to journals that the CSM Library may own.
- Define your topic and be as specific as possible:
Example: Does violence in computer games cause aggression in children?
- Identify key words or phrases in your topic:
Example: violence computer games aggression children
- Prepare your search statement.
- To connect separate concepts use the connector: AND
Example: violence and computer games and aggression and children
- Eliminate minor words when searching, such as: a, an, the, with
Example: internet, not the internet
- Use all lower case letters to save time
Example: nintendo, not Nintendo
- To search for a phrase, many indexes will require that you enclose the phrase with quotes. Check the Help Screens in the index you are using
Example: "computer games"
- Some full text databases allow you to search for words in the entire article. In that case it is advisable to indicate that you want the words to appear near one another as opposed to far apart in the article.
Example: aggression w/10 children (aggression and children must appear within 10 words of each other)
- If you get no hits as a result of your search, consider broadening your search with the following techniques:
- Include both singular and plural forms, or variant endings of a word by using the truncation or "wildcard" symbol. This symbol varies from index to index so you will need to check the Help Screens. Some common truncation symbols are the asterisk (*), exclamation mark (!), or question mark (?).
Example: aggress* will retrieve the words aggression or aggressive or aggressiveness
- Include similar or related terms by using the connector: OR
Example: aggression or anger
Note: To include both AND, OR in your search you must "nest" the terms being connected with OR by including parentheses. This will direct the index to interpret your search correctly:
Example: violence and computer games and (aggression or anger) and children
- You may have to eliminate one or more concepts or terms, and search for articles on a more general topic.
Example: violence and "computer games" and children, rather than violence and "computer games" and children and aggression
- If you find a good article:
See if it suggests other search words, also called search terms, descriptors, or subject headings, that you can use to either focus your search or look for more articles related to your topic.
|