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SLS 1101 Biography Assignment: Search Tips

Search Tips

  • Use key search terms instead of a string of words or a question. Avoid stop words, like articles (i.e., a, an, the) & most prepositions.  Click here for more information on keyword searching.
  • When your search includes a phrase, such as solar energy, put quotation marks around the words that make up the phrase.  Click here for more details on phrase searching.
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  • Use Boolean operators (and, or, not) to connect, expand, or exclude keywords. See this video for more details on Boolean operators.

  • Use controlled vocabulary built in to databases--often called Subject Headings, Subject Terms, or Related Terms--to navigate intelligently through records in the database. See here for more information on controlled vocabulary.


  • Understand the differences among the types of publications available and make sure you are using the right type to meet the requirements for your paper.  If you need a peer-reviewed journal, then see this page for information on what that means and how to look for this type of publication in the databases.

 

  • When searching on the Web, use the domain ending (e.g., .com, .org, .gov, .edu) of the URL, AKA Web address, to your advantage. For academic-related material on the Web, remember, you can find more reliable and acceptable information at sites ending in .gov and .edu. Domains ending in .com are usually out to market something, and domains ending in .org  often advocate a certain position on a social issue or controversial topic, so more bias can frequently exist. To search for information at a particular domain ending or website, try Google Advanced Search.