Steps to Start Research
- Read the Definitions, Search Bar Tips, OneSearch, and Individual Databases boxes, below.
- Decide where to start: OneSearch or an individual database.
- Decide on your keywords; uses operators (AND, OR, NOT) to narrow, expand, or exclude keywords (more info below).
- Apply filters to your search results (more info below).
- Find an interesting title? Click on the title. In OneSearch, click on Full Text Availability.
- Save the title by emailing it to yourself (find the tools or icons). Be sure to choose the correct citation style! (There are other ways to save articles as well.)
Definitions
Before you get started, here are some helpful terms:
Databases: library's subscriptions to online content
Use OneSearch (explained below) to access the databases or search the databases individually from these guides:
- background, reference, and pro-con articles (Background and Pro-Con Articles)
- peer-reviewed/scholarly/academic journal articles (Academic, Scholarly, and Peer-Reviewed Articles)
- newspaper and magazine articles (Newspapers)
- ebooks (eBooks)
- film and video (Film and Video)
Keywords: words related to your topic that you use to search the databases
- Do not use questions and phrases
- Keep your eyes open for other keywords related to your topic
- Use AND, OR, NOT to combine keywords (explained below)
Filters: selections made during the search to narrow results to fit the assignment and topic
- Filters are usually on the left
- Use filters to further narrow your results and find more keywords
Search Bar Tips
Decide on your keywords and revise as needed.
Keywords
- Think about keywords that express your topic or ideas related to your topic. Pay attention to terms that you come across during your research. Academic searches use keywords instead of phrases ("voting rights and elections" instead of "how do lack of voting rights affect elections").
- Make a list of keywords about your topic from, personal knowledge, the assignment, textbooks, lectures, library database research (articles, ebooks, abstracts, etc.), online research, etc.
- Try different keywords as your search or as you learn more about your topic.
Combining Keywords
Use 1 or more keywords in the search bar.
Use AND between search terms to include all the terms. This will retrieve fewer but more focused results.
- voting AND teens
Use OR between search terms to include any of the terms or alternative terms. This will retrieve more results. Use parentheses around the OR words.
- teens OR adolescents
- voting AND (teens OR adolescents)
Use NOT to exclude a term.
- voting AND teens NOT adults
Use quotation marks to search for an exact phrase.
- "voting rights"
Use an asterisk at the end of a root term to search for different endings.
- vot* searches for vote, voting, voter, voters
- nurs* searches for nurse, nurses, and nursing
- vot* AND teens
Try Advanced Search (which appears near the search bars)
OneSearch
Start with OneSearch
Databases: OneSearch combines most of our databases into one search. If you're looking for library books, articles (academic, newspaper, etc.), ebooks, and other types of documents, start with the OneSearch Bar.
Keywords: Follow the keyword tips (above).
Filters: Use the filters on the left of your results:
- Availability: Available online (especially if you're off campus), Peer-reviewed journals (if that's what you need)
- Subject: to narrow results to a more specific subject or to find new keywords to search
- Resource Type: consider searching for one type at a time: articles and books (includes ebooks) are the most common, but there's also magazine and newspaper articles, videos, and much more.
- Creation Date: This is very important, especially if your assignment requires recent publications. Check your assignment!
Individual Databases
Individual Database Searches
The following guides will take you directly to database searches:
- background, reference, and pro-con articles (Background and Pro-Con Articles)
- peer-reviewed/scholarly/academic journal articles (Academic, Scholarly, and Peer-Reviewed Articles)
- newspaper and magazine articles (Newspapers)
- ebooks (eBooks)
- film and video (Film and Video)
After choosing your databases, decide on your keywords and filters.
Keywords: Follow the keyword tips (above).
Filters: Use the filters on the left of your results (these are just a few examples):
- Subject: to narrow results to a more specific subject or to find new keywords to search
- Resource Type: consider searching for one type at a time: articles and books (includes ebooks) are the most common, but there's also magazine and newspaper articles, videos, and much more.
- Creation Date: This is very important, especially if your assignment requires recent publications. Check your assignment!
All Research Guides
Check out all the our research guides to explore different subjects.
A-Z Databases
Check out all of our databases! Use the filters at the top to find databases based on subject, type, and providers.