Search Strategies: Search Strategies

Search Strategies

Advanced search skills can help refine your search results.  Use these strategies when searching in the library databases or Google.

Phrase Searching

Put quotation marks " " around phrases to search the term as a phrase. Otherwise, the database or Google may separate the words.

"social media influencers"     "minimum wage"   "Port Huron"

Boolean Operators

Refine your search results using Boolean operators. The three most common Boolean operators are AND, OR, and NOT, but there are others available. The operators AND and NOT will narrow your search, while OR will usually broaden your search results. 

AND - Use AND to find resources with all your search terms.

“climate change” AND "national security"

“business plans” AND restaurants

"college students" AND "study habits"

OR - Use OR to find articles with either search term in them.

"Blue Water Area" OR "Thumb Coast"

colleges OR universities

restaurants OR “food industry”

ecommerce OR "online shopping"

NOT - Use NOT to eliminate terms you do not want in your search results. (Use - in Google) 

graffiti NOT "American Graffiti"

Combining Terms - Put parentheses () around the ORs if other Boolean operators are used.     

"brand loyalty" AND (celebrities OR "social media influencers")

“college students” AND sleep AND ("cell phone" OR texting)

marketing AND (restaurants OR "food industry") 

Limiting Google Results to Specific Domain Names

Limit your Google results by adding the following to your search string:

For U.S. Government sites:     site:.gov

For educational institutions:     site:.edu

Example: "Middle Ages" AND women AND site:.gov

Conducting Research

A basic search is constructed using keywords, which together form your query. The keywords you choose to include in your query will have a direct effect on the search results.

Keys to conducting a good search include:

• Do some background research on your research topic to gather potential keywords and phrases. Reference materials will help learn the terminology used by professionals writing in the field.
• Conduct multiple types of searches. A keyword search generally yields the most results, but not all will be on topic. Try using a subject search, or try limiting your search by date or format. Use the Library of Congress system to find the cataloged items on a particular subject.
• Try searching a broad topic. If necessary, narrow down the search field using supplementary links,  subject suggestions within the catalog, and the "search within" feature of the databases.
• Search multiple locations and look for a variety of sources. 
• Combine words and phrases using the search strategies in this guide. Keep track of which terms you have searched, and of which combinations draw better results.
• Copy or save citations as you search for easier resource retrieval later.

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If you need assistance or feel a little lost – be sure to ask a SC4 Librarian for help!