Call the library @ (252) 985-5350
Email the library @ reference@ncwu.edu
Here are a few tips to help you develop a good search strategy:
1. Use two or three keywords rather than a complete sentence. Example:
TOPIC: I'm interested in finding articles on the importance of photosynthesis to global ecosystem.
KEYWORDS: photosynthesis --- plants – oxygen --- light --- carbon dioxide
The other words do not relate to the core concepts of the research question and are not effective keywords.
2. Use quotation marks " " when you want to search for a phrase. Example:
"social media" or “organizational behavior”
3. Too few or poor results? Use synonyms and related terms to find different results. Example:
"education" in place of "learning"
“resistance training” in place of “strength training"
Truncation symbol, [an asterisk (*), dollar sign ($), or plus sign (+), etc.], with the root/stem of a word broadens your search to include various wording endings:
child*=child or children or childhood
Wildcard symbols ? or #
The question mark (?) may also be used to replace a single character to include different spellings. For example:
wom?n for woman or women
The pound/hash sign (#) can be added in places where an alternate spelling may contain an extra character. The database will find instances of the word that appear with or without the extra character. For example:
colo#r for color or colour
Some databases use different symbols so check the searching help in the database you are using.
Examples:
Maximize your search by combining these tools:
olympi* AND athlet*
Wildcard + truncation + Boolean:
wom?n AND (equal* OR rights)
AND (work* OR employ*)
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Video Tutorials on Database Searching & More!
Link your keywords, phrases, and synonyms in a search string with AND, OR, NOT. These are called Boolean Operators. For best results, use all caps with AND, OR, & NOT.
Narrow results with AND:
"social media" AND anxiety AND teenager
Widen results with OR:
anxiety OR depression
Remove results with NOT:
Instagram NOT Facebook
[Caution: this can remove results that are primarily about Instagram but have one mention of Facebook.]
Use Parentheses to combine AND and OR in a search string:
"social media" AND (anxiety OR depression)
"social media" AND (anxiety OR depression) AND (teenager OR adolescent)
Use AND in a search to:
The purple triangle in the middle of the Venn diagram below represents the result set for this search. It is a small set using AND, the combination of all three search words.
Be aware: In many, but not all, databases, the AND is implied.
Use OR in a search to:
All three circles represent the result set for this search. It is a big set because any of those words are valid using the OR operator.
Use NOT in a search to: