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.
The Research Process
