Mastering Research: An Intro to Searching, Book Hunting, and Article Discovery

1. Find Search Terms in Your Research Question or Topic.

Breaking down your research question or topic can help you figure out what search terms can be used to search through the library's catalog and databases. If your research question is "What are the impacts of different teaching styles on student performance and motivation?", the keywords you should start with are teaching styles, student performance, and student motivation.

2. Find Synonyms for Your Keywords.

Sometimes a book or article won't use the same words that you came up with. It is important to think of words similar to your original keywords that you may be able to use. You can use an online reference work to help you find other words or terms you can use. However, you won't use that as a source for your project as its not scholarly.

For example, some keywords one could use for "teaching styles" are:

"Teaching Strategies"     "Teaching Methods"     "Instructional Methods"     "Educational Techniques"

3. Use Boolean Operators to Search Effectively.

A Boolean Search uses the operators AND, OR, and NOT to narrow, expand, or exclude results. Most databases allow you to use these words in the search bar, while some may require you to use the advanced search function. For example, Global Search requires you to put the Boolean Operators in ALL CAPS as shown below.

• The search [(teaching styles) AND (student performance)] will find all articles that contain both terms. AND narrows your search.
• The search [(teaching styles) OR (instructional methods)] will find all articles that contain one, the other, or both search terms. OR is used between synonyms and increases your results.
• The search [(student performance) NOT (motivation)] will only find results containing the first part of the search and exclude all that mention the second part. NOT will exclude articles you do not want.

4. Add Keywords to Find Specific Types of Articles.

If you want to find a literature review on your topic, simply add "AND review" to your search terms. If you need a research study on the topic, add "AND study" instead.

If you are looking for more advanced search tips, visit the Research Help libguide that takes a deeper dive into the research process.