When searching, try to identify the main topics. Use no more than 3-4 words or phrases.
For example, you'd like to find articles on the effects of air pollution on children in the United States.
See the table below for more ideas on how to refine this search!
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Keywords not working? Find synonyms (similar words): Read subject headings or abstracts of the things you do find – what words are they using? |
Too many results? Try AND: combines different terms when both must be present Suicide AND Adolescents Suicide AND Adolescents AND Prevention Air pollution AND effects AND children AND United States |
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Not enough results? Use OR: combines terms when at least one must be present Teenager OR youth OR adolescent Mick Jagger OR Rolling Stones theater OR theatre Children or pediatric |
Getting the wrong results? Use NOT (or – sign in Google): Eliminates terms from a search Apple NOT fruit (-fruit) Java NOT coffee (-coffee) Pollution NOT groundwater |
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Looking for a phrase? Add quotation marks “song lyrics” “title of book/song/article/movie” “First and Last Name” “popular quote” "air pollution" |
Wildcard Add an asterisk (*) to look for all endings for the root of a word Educat* looks for Educator, Educators, Education, Educational Child* looks for Children |
| Boolean Operator | Examples | Results |
AND |
children AND poverty |
AND combines different terms when both must be present. Use AND to narrow a search. |
OR |
teenagers OR adolescents |
OR combines terms when at least one must be present. Use OR to broaden a search. |
NOT |
java NOT coffee |
NOT eliminates terms from a search. Use NOT when you want to exclude all records that contain a certain term. |
