Just like a database, you can use search strategies and limiters in the library catalog. Use these tips as you search:
- Combine keywords using AND for more precise results. If you use AND between your search terms, the database will only retrieve items that contain both search terms. If you search for apples AND oranges, you'd see resources that are about apples and oranges.
- Combine keywords using OR for broader results. If you use OR between your search terms, the database will retrieve items that have one or the other search terms in them. If you search for apples OR oranges, then you'd see resources that are about apples and other resources that are about oranges.
- This is not used as much, but you can also insert NOT between your search terms to exclude a search term from your search. This can be useful. For example, if you are writing a paper on apples but many of the articles you find are about apples and oranges, you can search apples NOT oranges and the database will exclude the term orange from your search, only retrieving articles on apples.
- Use "quotation marks" to search for phrases. Putting quotation marks around a multiple word search term, like "honey crisp apples," will only retrieve articles that contain that specific search term.
- Use the Advanced Search feature to combine search categories or terms, as well as limit by date, format, etc.
AND, OR, and NOT are called Boolean operators and were capitalized in this example, however, when searching the databases, you do not have to capitalize them. The databases' search features are not case sensitive.
