Searching Academic Databases: Help Searching in Databases

There are some common search techniques that you can apply to almost any database, including article databases, online catalogues and even commercial search engines.

Searching Academic Databases is different to searching Google so its important to understand the best way to search them.

1. Identify & list your Keywords/Synonyms
2. Think about how you are going to use them in your search. What is your search statement going to look like?
3. Enter the keywords in the Search Box (preferably choose the Advanced Search option)
4. Determine what Search Box fields (All Fields, Title, Abstract, Keywords) to use in your search.
5. Consider how to combine/connect your search terms together to narrow or broaden your search results, using "AND" to narrow your search, "OR" to broaden your search and "NOT" to exclude certain terms.

These connectors are known as Boolean Search operators. 

5. Use "Phrase Searching" to search adjacent words by adding parentheses or quotes around search words.  Check which your preferred database uses.

Example:  "Genetic Engineering" OR "Genetic Modification"

6. Use Truncation to broaden your search to include various word endings or spellings. Use the trunk of the word and add * to it to include multiple endings. The symbol used varies between databases. Common symbols include: *, !, ?, or #.

Examples:
child* = child, children, children's, childhood
genetic* = genetic, genetics, genetically

7. Use Wildcards to include different spellings 

Examples:
wom!n = woman, women
colo?r = color, colour

Some databases (for example those on the EBSCO & ProQuest Platforms) have an Online Thesaurus or Subject Terms index to enable you to browse for subjects that match your topic. These are great for linking directly to articles on your topic or for finding additional keywords for your search.

These search techniques vary to some degree between Databases so check out the Help screen on whatever Database you are searching. For example in the case of EBSCO databases you'll find the searching tips here 

This guide will bring you through searching in a database using EBSCO's (EBSCO is a platform which hosts many different databases) Academic Search Complete as an example. If you use another database, it may look different. No matter what library database you select, most will have similar search features.

• A basic search bar and a more advanced search bar for multiple keywords
• Various limiters (date range, publication type, language and more!)
• Full PDF text links or "find full text" links

Creating your Search Statement (Search String) involves combining your search words using search operators.

When creating a search statement if you want the search to be correctly processed (searched in the order the search string is created) you'll need to enclose some terms in brackets if you'd want those terms to be dealt' with first. For example: (Child* OR Youth OR adolescent) AND "Digital Inequality"  AND Ireland

Try this useful tool from the University of Reading to generate a search string that you can then paste into your database search

Determine what information you need and determine your topics subject. Use the Search Strategy tab to guide you.

• Our sample search question: Does access to higher education affect re-offending for people in prison? 
  • Information needed - my assignment says that I need 3 sources.  Two need to be scholarly articles published within the past 5 years. 
  •  Subject of my topic - multidisciplinary (education, criminal justice

Look and select a database from the A-Z Databases list.

• Since our topic is multidisciplinary, we are going to look in Academic Search Complete. The description for Academic Search Complete is "contains journal, magazine, and newspaper articles covering all subject areas."

Getting to know the database you selected.

• From the A-Z Databases list, click on the hyperlink for the database you selected. Take a minute to look at the homepage for the database and familiarize yourself with its search features. Academic Search Complete has three search bars on the homepage which means we can search using multiple keywords. There are also different search options below the search bar including limiting to scholarly peer reviewed works, publication date, and publication type. 
  • Are there any limiters that you can use to find information on your topic? You will be able to add limiters to your search at any time so there is no pressure to add limiters now.