Search Tips

Break down your topic into Main Concepts

• Write down a list of synonyms or related terms.
• Computer databases will only eat the exact words that you feed them. For example, if you search for the word "media", you will NOT find entries under the words "press", "journalism", "tv", "reporter", etc. unless it is mentioned in the same article with media. 

Understand how to combine your search terms

• Using and, or, not in a database search. 
• Refine Your Search by using truncation
  See bottom of this page for all truncation symbols for the different databases

• Formulate how you would enter your search into InfoTrac

• Limit the current search
  

• Add your third concept in this box
  • Pay attention to the titles and subjects of the sources you find.

Know your database

• Ask these questions about any database for best results.
• Truncation is a way of simplifying our search request by including word variations without actually entering each one.  Different databases use different characters as truncation or wildcards.  Example:  to find advertising or advertisement or advertise you can type advertis* and retrieve all word variations. Below is a list of some of the databases and their truncation or wildcard symbols. Most databases use the *.
  • Merlin & InfoTrac uses the * 
  • Ovid uses the $
  • Lexis/Nexis Academic Universe uses the !
  • Communication and Mass Media Complete uses the *
  • Factiva uses the *
  • Web of Science uses the *
  • ProQuest uses the ?
  • FirstSearch uses the *
  • EbscoHost uses the *
  • Ethnic NewsWatch uses the *
  • J-Stor uses the *
  • America History & Life and Historical Abstracts uses the *