No Google Searches!

Many students make the mistake of using the same type of search strategies that they use in Google. They type all their search terms into one search box when Advanced search boxes are available. 

Search tips:

• Separate your keywords into different search boxes by subject using the ADVANCED SEARCH boxes.
• Combine synonyms or related terms by putting them in the same search box and combining them with OR.   The computer will match at least one of the terms from each search box and combine them with at least one term from the other box(es).

Example: protests OR resistance OR demonstrations or activism 

discrimination or inequality or racism or prejudice

           african american* OR blacks

mexican americans or chicanos or latinos or hispanics

Note: You can combine related terms, not just synonyms. 

• Truncate keywords to retrieve various endings for your search terms. Truncation is great for pulling up both singular and plurals of your word.

Example:  racis* will search for racist, racists, racism

                 discriminat* will retrieve discriminate, discriminates, discriminating, discrimination, discriminated

                steriliz* will retrieve sterilize, sterilizes, sterilized, sterilization, sterilizing

    protest* will search for protest, protests, protesters, protesting

    demonstrat* will search for demonstrator, demonstrators, demonstration, demonstrations, demonstrating

NOTE: You might have to spell out latinx or latino* or latina* to avoid getting results dealing with Latin. 

• Phrase searches. You may put phrases in quotation marks to keep the words next to each other. This is optional and only recommended if you see that you're getting false hits when the words in your phrase have been separated. First, try your phrase without quotation marks to see your results.

Examples: “ethnic studies program*”  "white nationalis*"   "affirmative action" Notice that the words program* and nationalis* are truncated to retrieve programs, program and nationalism, nationalist, nationalists, nationalistic

OneSearch combines many of the databases and the catalog for library books.

Example of a search strategy that can be improved:

A student wants to find information about smashing racist stereotypes in the media.

 

How can we improve on this search?

Separate your keywords into different search boxes by subject using the ADVANCED SEARCH boxes.

Combine synonyms or related terms by putting them in the same search box and combining them with OR. 

Truncate keywords to retrieve various endings for your search terms.

Phrase searches. You may put phrases in quotation marks to keep the words next to each other such as "mass media" or "racial bias" or "racial stereotyp*".

Review Your Results

Look for useful search terms to try different search combinations. You can often find useful keywords in the subjects, titles, and abstracts. Note that Stereotypes (social psychology) in mass media is a  designated SUBJECT term so you can search this in one box.

Incorporate New Keywords in Different Search Combinations

Field Limiters

In the search above, since we know "stereotypes in mass media" is a subject term, we may select SUBJECT in the drop down menu and only search for results with that term in the SUBJECT field. The Subjects designate main topics in the publication so adding this limiter will reduce the number of results by eliminating articles and books that do not have that subject as a main topic.

The Abstract (summary) is another useful field limiter.

Keywords with synonyms or related terms

Note: The parentheses indicate a search box.

Ethnic Studies Movement

There may not be many articles on ethnic studies programs so you may have to add related terms as seen below. 

• ("ethnic studies program*" or "african american studies" or "asian american studies" or "latin* american studies") AND (requirement* or movement)
• (ethnic studies or african american studies) AND (requirement or movement)

White supremacy in the curriculum

• (white privilege or eurocentr*) AND (curriculum or course*)

Hip hop as resistance

• (hip hop) AND (protest* or activis* or social justice or advocacy)

Sometimes if you don't find much on a particular issue, you may have to broaden your search by using less specific terms. For example, if there are not many articles on social justice or activism, you could try:

• (hip hop) AND (social conditions or social aspects)

OR add another term for type of music:

• (hip hop or rap) AND (protest* or activis* or social justice or advocacy)

TIPS:

• Always look at the subjects, abstracts, and titles of your results to locate useful keywords. You might find more effective search terms using what you find in the results.