General Tips for Database Searching
Keyword Searching
When searching databases, it is essential to first determine your keywords. Unlike google, where you can put a whole sentence into the search box and get decent results, academic databases are not good at parsing out the key terms in a longer inquiry. Instead, you need to look at your question or thesis and pick out your own key words to use as search terms. For example, if I am wondering what role feminism plays in the book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, I would choose to search using the following keywords: "Little Women", Feminism, and Alcott. Keep reading for tips on how to use these key words.
Two ways to approach researching your topic: Broad vs. Narrow
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BROAD
· Choose general but relevant search terms
· Think about related terms or synonyms
· Begin with one or two search terms
· Explore topics or subject terms
assigned by a database
Example:
“civil rights” = Broad
“freedom riders” = narrow
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NARROW
· Add additional keywords
· Choose narrower, more specific search terms
· Search for phrases by using “quotes”
· Use Filters: select item types, publication dates, etc.
Example:
Narrow = “National Organization for Women”
Broad = “second-wave feminism”
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PICO Searching in CINAHL -- Advanced