Tip 1: Find synonyms with OR
Library databases will only show you sources that have all of the exact words you type in the search box. But you can give the database options ("I don't care if my results use the word sentiment or feeling") by putting an OR in between.
Tip 2: Find variants on a root with *
If you search for the word sentiment, most databases won't find results that use the word sentimental or the word sentimentalism. So what do you do when you want the database to search for any variant of a word? Add an asterisk (*) at the root they all have in common.
Tip 3: Put "quotation marks" around a title or an exact phrase
The database will look for your keywords in any order. So if you're looking for sources about sex roles and don't put quotation marks around that phrase, you might end up with a source like "Sorcery, Holiness, the Third Sex: The Role of Herdsman in Finnic and North Russian Folk Culture." Putting quotes around "sex roles" will make sure the database only shows you sources with those exact words in that exact order.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
