These search strategies can help you in any database you use.
Using the right keywords can affect how relevant your results are.
Keywords fall into three main categories: Broad, Narrow, and Related.
- Broad: More general categories
- Narrow: A specific category
- Related: Synonyms or similar terms, or terms that are connected to your topic
Start with the main ideas in your thesis statement. Add or revise using keywords you found when you did your pre-research.
- Search with specific keywords (not questions or long phrases).
- Search 2-3 keywords at a time. Each keyword you add will reduce your results.
- Use quotation marks around words you want to search as a complete phrase ("standardized tests").
- Limiters: always use the Full Text limiter. Use the Peer Reviewed limiter if that is the kind of information you need. You can also adjust the date range to get the most current articles.
- Number of results: Strive for no more than 200 hundred results. If you have more than that, try revising your search. You want a list of results that is manageable so you can look through them all.
Boolean Operators: AND, OR, NOT
- AND: for combining unrelated search terms
- OR: for searching similar words
- NOT: for eliminating results
