If you're new to searching, or just want to do a quick search for information on a topic, try using our " All-in-One" search option located under our on our homepage.
Boolean searches allow you to combine words and phrases using Boolean operators (AND, OR, and NOT) to limit, widen, or define your search.
Unlike Google, library databases can't understand an entire sentence. So you'll need to break your topic down into the most important ideas - the KEYWORDS.
The keywords you use can have a profound impact on the results of your research. Using the “right” words will speed up the research process, while the “wrong” words can bring to it to a halt.
Example Topic: Women in the Military
Keywords: women and military; military and minorities and women;
Example:
Keyword: Synonym:
Online dictionaries and thesauruses are very helpful for finding synonyms that you may not come up with yourself.
You can evaluate any source using the 5 W's:
Too many results try
Using the operator AND to find only sources that mention both keywords.
Example:
Too few results
This will bring back results that only use that exact phrase