The database uses special language and keys called "search operators" to understand exactly what you are searching.
Operator | Explanation | Example |
---|---|---|
AND | Use AND between keywords to search for resources that contain both search terms. | Police AND Social Media |
OR | Use OR between synonyms or related words to search for resources that contain either term. | Police OR Law Enforcement |
NOT | Use NOT to eliminated all articles that contain a certain word or phrase | NOT Australia |
" ... " | Use quotation marks around a string of words to search as a phrase instead of individual words | "social media" |
* | Add a star (*) to the end of a root word to search for the root word and all possible endings | Canad* = Canada, Canadian, Canadiens |
( ) | Use parentheses to group operators. If you are on a database with an advanced search option, you can separate different keywords in different search boxes. If you're using a simple search, use parentheses to differentiate your operators. | (Police OR "Law Enforcement") AND ("Social Media" OR Twitter) AND Canad* NOT Australia |
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