Research help

Library databases are great for finding articles (and eBooks and streaming videos).

This is because databases search through thousands of journals and magazines. Some databases exclusively offer electronic books (eBooks) or videos. Many databases are subject-specific, meaning all the contents in them are related by topic or field of study.

It is more effective to search in a library database when you:

• Are searching for information on a very specific topic. Use Advanced Search to get really specific in the searches you create.
• Want information created from a discipline-specific perspective. Different disciplines approach research with different priorities guiding their work. (Consider how an early-childhood educator might write about funding education, versus an economist, or a politician, or a child psychologist). Subject-specific databases help you find research from the perspective(s) you seek.
• Want to use specialized tools to help you search more efficiently. Databases offer filters like date, narrow by topic, type of research conducted, even length of research paper. Specialized databases have discipline-specific filters too. Ask a librarian for more info about this!
• Need scholarly or peer-reviewed articles. Our databases let you filter results for these, and they are free for you to access.
• Want pre-made MLA or APA citations. Databases are used by researchers and scholars (like you) who need to check sources and cite sources, so citations are built in.

Tip: Use your keyword(s)

Perform your initial search with the one keyword (or keyword phrase) that describes your most important topic idea.

• Why just one keyword?

• We recommend as you start your research, start big and broad! Use your first few searches to test out how much information is available on your topic.

  • If you get lots of search results, add in a keyword for the second most important idea. Adding more keywords means you'll get fewer and more relevant search results.
  • If you get zero or very few search results with your one keyword, you know you haven't found the right word to search with yet, you misspelled something, or there is not a lot available on your topic.

• Why no quotation marks around a phrase?

• The short answer is because of artificial intelligence (AI). 
  The long answer is because nearly all databases use AI in their search algorithms, and that algorithm includes looking for related keywords automatically. Quotation marks typically override this automatic related-words search.

  • When you are first starting your research, using built-in AI is effective if you are not sure how to best describe an idea, or of what keywords to use. AI will expand your search and retrieve more search results for you.
    • In this example, the database looks at gen alpha, interprets it, and searches for any or all of the following terms:
      • Gen A
      • Gen Alpha
      • Generation Alpha
      • Alpha Generation
  • As you get deeper into your research, use quotation marks when you have identified effective keywords about your topic or want to perform targeted and precise searches. Quotation marks tell search tools to find results containing keywords in the exact order as written, instead of searching for the words separately or substituting words.

Tip: Review your search results for better keywords

Skim article titles, abstracts, and subjects (highlighted with labels) listed in your search results.

  In this example, an additional (and maybe better) keyword is Generation Alpha.

• Why should I look for more keywords?

• To find the most relevant and useful results, you will want to perform multiple searches using different keywords.

  • This process is called "iterative searching." Good research is iterative, meaning it is a circular process where you repeat steps more than once and improve upon what you have done before. Changing up your keywords is part of this process. 

  • Different keywords bring back different kinds of results for different kinds of readers.

    • In this example topic, researchers use terms like Alpha Generation and Generation Alpha. Searching with these terms means you will find more scholarly information.
    • Staff writers and everyday people use terms like Gen A or Gen Alpha. Searching with these terms means you will find more popular information.

• Why focus on the title, abstract, or subjects?

• • Titles and abstracts contain concise keywords that describe the most important topic ideas within the article. Authors choose those keywords and, as experts about their topic, are reliable sources for knowing how to describe a concept or idea.
  • Subjects are keywords added by authors or information specialists to describe what the article is about. When you choose a subject, you're guaranteed to get articles that are primarily about that keyword.

Tip: Add additional keywords into the search box - be strategic!

Find more relevant information by adding in keywords that target specific aspects of your topic.

• Why the quotation marks around a phrase now? "generation alpha"

• For precision searching. Quotation marks restrict the database to finding results containing keywords in the exact order as written, which means the precise context you need is reflected in the search results.

  • As you do more research, you'll notice that people use different language and offer up different perspectives on the same topic. Precise keyword searching helps you find these different perspectives.
  • Quotation marks restrict the database to finding results containing keywords in the exact order as written, which means the precise context you need is reflected in the search results.
    • Researchers largely do not use the term "Gen A" in their research papers and reports (yet). If you are looking for more scholarly information on this topic, you'll want to search with the exact phrase "Generation Alpha."
    • Everyday people do use the term "Gen A." Searching with the exact keyword "Gen A"  makes it more likely that you will find information written by and for a broad audience of everyone.

• Why the AND?

• For precision searching. AND commands the database to find search results containing keyword #1 AND keyword #2.

  • AND must be written in capital letters to function as a search command.
  • AND overrides* default search algorithms that look for only one (or more) keywords. (*Usually - there are exceptions.)
  • Examples:
    • "peanut butter" AND jelly
    • "peanut butter" AND honey AND banana

Tip: Use specialized tools to filter for better results

• Use Advanced Search.

• What is Advanced Search? "Advanced Search" is a searching interface available in most databases. It facilitates more strategic use of search terms, search tools, filters, and existing citations. Advanced searching lets you target more precise results, which is particularly useful in academic research.
  • Tips on using Advanced Search features (VSCU)
  • Using Gale article databases: Advanced Searching (Chemeketa CC)
  • EBSCO Advanced Search (EBSCO)

• I got zero results.

• We can change that! There are a couple reasons why you might get zero, or very few, results:

  • Misspellings. Verify that you spelled everything correctly.
  • Too many search terms. Erase unnecessary search terms, or try different search terms.
  • Full sentences. Some databases are unable to interpret questions and full sentences. Try one or two keywords in the search box instead of a full sentence.
  • Filters. Double-check that the database doesn't have restrictive filters on, like date limits or full text only.
  • New topic. Brand new topics and current events do not have much scholarly research available, because research takes time. Talk to a librarian about approaches to finding credible information about very-recent trends and topics.

• I got too many results.

• We can change that!

  Add in additional keywords that target specific aspects of your topic.

  Databases have built-in tools to help you filter through your search results to identify the best resources. Most database results pages offer the following tools:

  • Full Text. Filter results to articles with immediate full text.
  • Peer Reviewed. Filter results to items published in peer-reviewed journals.
  • Date. Filter to items published after a specified date.

  Talk to a librarian about using built-in tools to help make your research process easier and more efficient.

• For specialized database-specific tips, check out the following guides:

• • Academic Search Complete
  • CINAHL
  • PubMed

Tips for how to access, use, and get free full text from databases.