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ENGL 01A Diaz: Basic Search Strategies

College Composition and Reading

Break Down Your Research Question into Keywords

The words you type into the search box affect your search results. Not all authors use the same language to describe similar topics, so you will need to try a variety of searches.

  • Create a list of possible words that could appear in a book or article related to your topic.
  • Come up with synonyms or related terms.
  • Stick to using 2-4 concepts at a time.

Connect Keywords with Boolean Operators

  • AND:  joins dissimilar terms to narrow your search since both terms need to be present
    • Example: vegetarian AND morality
  • OR: joins similar terms to broaden your search since either term can be present
    • Example: vegetarian OR vegan OR plant-based
  • AND & OR can also be used together
    • Example: (vegetarian OR vegan OR plant-based) AND (morality OR ethics)

Use Quotation Marks to Find Phrases

  • “United States”
  • “meat industry”
  • "political propaganda"

Find Different Word Variations with Truncation

  • The asterisk * is the most common truncation symbol.
    • Example: Latin* = Latin, Latino, Latina, Latinidad, Latinx, etc.
  • You do have to be careful with truncation. Sometimes you might get unexpected results.
    • Example: minor*= minor, minors, minority, minorities, etc.

How Library Stuff Works: How to Choose Keywords

Online Research: Tips for Effective Search Strategies