WR122 Wickert (Online)

Use these tips when you search in CCC Library databases. Your search results will be more focused and relevant to your topic!

1. Use quotation marks around phrases and search terms to search for the words in the exact order you would like, instead of separately.
   
2. Use different search boxes for each different idea that makes up your overall topic.
   

Need help with too many or too few results? Call, email, chat with, or stop by and see a librarian!

We all use it - now let's learn to use it better! Improve your Googling skills to save time and make it easier to identify better sources of information.

Quotation marks

• 
• Use quotation marks around your search terms to search for the words in the exact order you would like, instead of separately.

intitle:

• 
• Use intitle: to retrieve webpages with your keywords in the title of the webpage

site:

• 
• Use site:. to retrieve webpages from URLs in the domain (.gov, .edu, .org) you specify.  

- (a hyphen or minus sign) 

• 
• Use - (a hyphen or minus sign) in front of words to exclude them from your search results.

OR

• 
  In the above example, Google will find results that include (election AND fraud) and (voter AND fraud).
• Use OR in between words to have either or both of the words included in your search results. OR must be capitalized. This is a good way to search for synonyms.

filetype:

• 
• Use filetype: to retrieve specific types of files (instead of html webpages). Works for finding most file types.

Combine strategies

• 
• Use several strategies at once for very specific results.

Not sure how to search a database? Here are some basic tips that apply to most databases. 

Searching Databases from Yavapai College Library on Youtube.