Keywords for Searching
gender, modernity or other themes like power, identity & memory
author name
title of work
"spanish literature"
Spain
"short story"
Search Tips
Keywords
- Remember that you need to use keywords to search library resources, not natural language.
- Think about various different terms that are or could be used to describe your topic, including synonyms.
- Use "quotes" around multiple terms that you'd like to use as a phrase.
- For example:
- "natural environment" AND business
- "feminist theory" OR feminism
Boolean Operators
- AND, OR, NOT are used between your keywords to broaden or narrow your search.
- AND will search for both terms.
- OR will search for either one term or the other, but not both.
- NOT will search for one term but not the other.
- For example:
- business AND ("natural environment" OR sustainability)
- "feminist theory" NOT economy
Subject Headings/Terms
- Subject Headings/Terms are controlled phrases assigned to library materials to organize them.
- Use Subject Headings/Terms to find similar items when searching the library catalog and databases.
- For example:
- Sustainable development
- Business enterprises -- environmental aspects
- SOCIAL SCIENCE Feminism & Feminist Theory
Limiters/Filters
- Many databases provide ways for you to limit your search results.
- If your initial search is too large, consider limiting by date, type of publication, subject, etc.
DISCOVER
Search DISCOVER for books, ebooks, movies, articles, journals, and more.
If you find a physical item in the collection that you would like to use be sure to note:
- the availability: if it is checked out try EZ Borrow or Interlibrary Loan
- the Library: is it in Shad or Martin?
- the title: for example - Architecture and Landscape of the Pennsylvania Germans, 1720-1920
- the call number: for example - NA730 .P4 A73 2011
If you locate the perfect article, but we do not license the content, use the link provided to request the article via ILL.
Library Databases
For general searching with many full text results
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowComprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 8,500 full-text periodicals, including more than 7,300 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 12,500 journals and a total of more than 13,200 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc. The database features PDF content going back as far as 1887. Searchable cited references are provided for more than 1,400 journals.
- Humanities Full Text This link opens in a new windowIndexes over 300 English-language periodicals covering classical studies, history, literature, performing arts, philosophy, and related fields. Covers 1984 to the present.
- JStor This link opens in a new windowA collection of full-text articles from over 3000 scholarly journals, many dating from the nineteenth-century to the last 4 or 5 years. A growing number of titles are available through the current issues, as part of their "Current Scholarship Program". Select Advanced Search to strategically search amongst 45 disciplines. Choose PDF from within JStor to properly view and print articles. For convenience, JStor is now searchable on Facebook.
- Project Muse This link opens in a new windowProvides access to scholarly journals and eBooks in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Dates of coverage varies per title.
Specific to literary criticism
- Literature Criticism Online This link opens in a new windowAn extensive compilation of literary commentary, representing a range of modern and historical views on authors and their works across regions, eras, and genres. Features content from broadsheets, pamphlets, encyclopedias, books and periodicals.
For bibliographies and other guidance to resources, which may then be searched for in our catalog
- Arts & Humanities Citation Index (Web of Science) This link opens in a new windowArticles and other text materials published in scholarly journals in the arts and humanities. Subjects covered are the Arts, Humanities, Language (including Linguistics), Poetry, Music, Classical works, History, Philosophy, Archaeology, Architecture, Religion, Television, Theater, and Radio. Covers 1975 to the present.
- MLA/Modern Language Association International Bibliography This link opens in a new windowComprehensive index of articles, book chapters and essays in literature, languages, and folklore. Features content published from the 1920s to the present.
- Handbook of Latin American Studies This link opens in a new windowSelective annotated bibliography of scholarly works on Latin America, with citations (some in Spanish or Portuguese) to materials in the humanities and social sciences. Covers 1935 to the present.
- Humanities & Social Sciences Index Retrospective This link opens in a new windowIndexes articles from English-language magazines and academic journals in a wide range of interdisciplinary fields. Covers 1907 to 1984.
For contextual research, i.e,, politics, religion, demographics, etc.
- CQ Researcher This link opens in a new windowPublished in print and online 44 times a year, the single-themed CQ Researcher report offers in-depth, non-biased coverage of political and social issues, with regular reports on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the U.S. economy. You can view and search across all of our CQ resources here.