Finding Sources Advanced: Searching in a Database

Searching in a Database

Vocabulary

• • • abstract
    • AND (Logical Operator)
    • database
    • Keywords
    • phrase

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Introduction

Great, you've found a database you want to use. But now, how do you actually search in the database?

You can use all the same skills we talked about with creating a search strategy:

• • • • Find the keywords in your topic or research question
      • Use the logical operator "AND" to combine your keywords. Some databases already have separate boxes for you, and have the logical operator "AND" included
      • Use quotation marks around words that are more than one word, so that it searches for those words together in that order as one idea, or "phrase."

For example, if your topic is on how social media influences teenagers consumer behaviour, you could use the search:

teenagers AND Facebook AND "mental health"

A potential database for this topic area would be Academic Search Premier because it is a broad general database that covers multiple subject areas. Watch the video below to see how you can run this search in that database.

 

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Link to: Transcript of 'Searching in a Database'

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Activity:

3. Create your own search (or use the example above) and type it into a database of your choice. 

In another window, use Summon (the general search box on the home page) and enter the same search. 

 Then, reflect on these questions

• • What do you notice about the search results?
  • Why might you use a particular database instead of Summon to find results?

(Need the worksheet? Finding Sources Advanced Worksheet.docx Download Finding Sources Advanced Worksheet.docx)

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