How do I search Library Databases?
If you search for information in the library databases, you may quickly notice that it doesn't work like Google. The library has access to a lot of high-quality information, but it needs to be searched using different techniques. Look below for tips on how to search the library for the many resources we provide!
Basic Search Tips
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.
Example Topic: Lawmakers should raise the minimum wage at the federal level because wages have not kept pace with rising prices.
The specifics of your topic will matter when selecting sources, but for searching you only need the most essential components. Hint: When looking at your topic sentence or thesis statement, the essential components tend to be nouns.
Example Keywords: minimum wage, federal, rising prices
Most words and phrases have synonyms that mean the same, or very similar, things. For each keyword in your topic, try to come up with at least one synonym. Not all keywords will have synonyms, but many do!
Example:
Keep an Eye Out
Sometimes scholars use terms that you might not be familiar with, or which might mean something very specific within the discipline. While searching, look for unfamiliar terms or words that show up a lot. Try searching for those and see if you find more relevant sources.
Most library databases have search tools built in. Try some of these:
- Subject: Think of subjects as official hashtags. Use them to find sources about that subject.
- Date Range: Limit your search to sources published between specific years.
- Peer Reviewed: Limit your search to scholarly journal articles.
- Full Text: Make sure all of the results are available to read in full.
Look on the left and right of your search results, or for an "advanced search" page to find these tools - and more!
Advanced Search Tips
Use the operator AND to find only sources that mention both keywords.
This search will bring back fewer results than searching either keyword on its own.
Use the OR operator to expand your search with additional keywords.
This will find sources that include either word, so you'll see more results than by searching for just one keyword.
Use the “QUOTES” strategy to search for several words in a phrase.
This will bring back results that only use that exact phrase.
