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Eng 152 Database Searching

This guide includes information to help students perform database searching effectively and efficiently. Topics include using keywords, subject terms, and boolean searching, and other tips for finding, saving, and citing information from the library datab

Refining Keywords

Boolean Searching: using "and," "or," and "not" to  improve search results:

Drugs and Athletes ("and" is the default when entering multiple search terms or keywords)

Television and Violence and Children

Television or TV and Violence and Children or Teens or Adolescents

China not dishes

Use quotation marks for phrase searching: "World Series," "World Cup," "Nancy Drew"

Use the asterisk* to truncate word endings and/or as a wildcard within words: 

Hero* will retrieve hero, heroes, heroine, heroines

Educat* will retrieve educate, educator, education, educational, etc.

Wom*n represents both woman and women