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AP Seminar: Keyword Searching

Using the proper keywords in your search can make a BIG difference.  

Keyword Searching

1.  Utilize Boolean Searching (what is that?!)

2.  Click Advanced Search on any database to help filter your choices.

advanced search

3.  Synonyms

Heart Disease -

Change: Cardiovascular Disease

4.  Remove unnecessary parts of the search word.

Heart Disease impacted by the fast food industry. 

Change: heart disease AND fast food

5.  Use quotations for words or phrases. By putting quotes around a phrase, your results will only show items with both terms connected.  

cardiovascular disease

Change: "cardiovascular disease" 

6.  Use * (an asterik) at the end of a word if you want all possible word endings including plural, ing and others.

heart disease innovations

Change: innovat*  (will search for innovations, innovate, innovator or innovators)

Boolean Searching

Boolean Terms

AND - heart disease AND fast food

OR - heart disease OR cardiovascular disease

NOT - heart disease NOT diabetes

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