English 125-Levine: Database Search Tips

RESEARCH STEPS:

1.Select the most appropriate research database for your research need. 

Ex. Issue or argumentative paper? = CQ Researcher, Opposing ViewPoints, SIRS. - or ALSO a multidisciplinary databases like EBSCOHost Academic Search Complete (NOTE: Make sure to "Choose Databases" and select the appropriate "mini" databases on your topic in EBSCOHost).

2. Use the KEYWORDS and PHRASES you developed in your CONCEPT MAP to search.

Your main subject is identified in the center of you Concept Map and should be what you search in a BASIC SEARCH AREA - or - on the very top line in the Advanced Search area.

PHRASE SEARCHING

Searching on two or more words must have quotation marks around them.

Examples of phrases. "college education" or "college graduation" or "college graduation rates" - Try to limit to no more than three words and be aware that more than two words is going to limit your search results.

Concept Maps link your Related Issues to your Main Topic and link your Details (or examples in the form of information sources) that support your Thesis or Research Statement.

**IMPORTANT: Students are required to LOGIN from computers   off-campus using your Student ID Number for both Username           and Password.

If you cannot login in, please email: andrew.ho@reedleycollege.edu with your Full Name and Student ID for access to the system.

Research Databases usually have BASIC and ADVANCED SEARCH areas.

When given a choice, click on the ADVANCED SEARCH area of the databases and utilize the drop down menus to the right of each search box (start with the default "Select a Field").

Use the database LIMITERS in the Advanced Search Section:

BOOLEAN OPERATORS

Also, in the Advanced Search areas, utilize the drop down BOOLEAN OPERATORS  to the left of the search boxes (Ex. AND, OR or NOT):

Use AND Boolean Operator to narrow a search and combine different ideas

• College AND University
• tuition AND cost
• benefit AND value

OR Boolean Operator widens a search using synonyms -- OR gives you mORe

• "United States" OR U.S.   
• education OR degree         

NOT Boolean Operator narrows a search to remove unwanted terms

• college NOT "high school"        

Combine search terms to further narrow a search and create your SEARCH QUERY

• (college OR university) AND tuition
• tuition AND (college OR university)

NESTING ~ words or phrases

Nesting uses parentheses ( ) to keep concepts that are alike together, and to tell the database to look for search terms in the parentheses first. Nesting also uses the Boolean operator OR to connect like terms and the Boolean operator AND to connect the like terms to the rest of the search. Searches may retrieve vastly different results if the parentheses are omitted.

Examples:

“community college” AND (leadership OR administration)

“community college” AND leadership OR administration

In the first example, a search for “community college” AND (leadership OR administration) will yield records that deal with either community college leadership or community college administration

TRUNCATION (or Truncating) ~ words 

Truncation – returns all forms of a root word. The asterik * cuts      off a suffix or ending.
Note: To truncate add an asterisk (Shift + 8 keys) to the end of the word

• educat* =  returns: educate, education, educating, educational