Searching isn't always a one stop shop. Your purpose or where you are at in the process can determine where you need to go. The following pages have information on different types of resources and example scenarios for when each is best used.
Before beginning your search, though, it's helpful to start by identifying keywords or terms that you can use for your search.
Remember: Library databases aren't as smart as Google, so you can't just type your question into the search box. You need to break your question down into its keywords to help the database find the resources you need.
Below you will find strategies for determining keywords and turning those keywords into search strings for library databases.
Have questions or need additional help? Speak with a librarian!
1. Take your topic and break it into keywords or phrases.
Ex.) Women trailblazers involved in STEM in the United States.
2. Think of synonyms to come up with additional keywords you could use.
Ex.)
| Keyword 1 | Keyword 2 | Keyword 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cryptology | women | "United States" |
| "Code-Breaking" | trailblazers |
Hint! Use a thesaurus to help you come up with additional keywords.
Put the keywords and phrases you came up with together to form a "search string."
Ex.) Cryptology AND Women
or... Encription AND Women
Key phrases are grouped together with quotation marks.
This tells the database to search for the words together as a phrase instead of searching for each word independently.
Google only offers access to a small portion of the Internet. The library has access to subscription databases that can give you much more -- and better -- information!