Searching Databases
SocINDEX and Academic Search Complete are databases provided by the same vendor, EBSCOhost. Search them simultaneously.
Step One: Identify the topic and consider two to three concepts that directly relate to the topic. Use the chart below as a guide.
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Issue/Topic/Question:
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I am interested in policies about mental health services for children who are abandoned.
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Concepts/keywords:
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abandoned children
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mental health services |
policies (government and social policies)
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Consider alternative keywords for the concepts, for example:
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Homeless Children
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Foster care services
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child OR infant abandonment
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child custody
(rights of children)
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child neglect
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Step Two: Develop a search strategy using the keywords and/or phrases. Less is more; start with a few keywords and if necessary build a more comprehensive search. For example:
"homeless children" AND health services
Step Three: Recognize that databases have similar features, such as “limiters” or ways to narrow the search results (e.g., date of publication, peer-reviewed journal, and full-text). Apply limiters if necessary.
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Search tips
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Use
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Purpose
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Quotation marks
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Exact phrase searching
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AND
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Combine terms
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NOT
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Omit or ignore a term
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OR
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Expand the search to include either or both terms
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Parenthesis
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Structure a Boolean (AND, OR, NOT) search
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*
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Truncate a term or complete a phrase
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?
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Wildcard used to replace a single letter
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#
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Wildcard used for alternate spellings
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N and a number
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Finds terms near x terms
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W and a number
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Finds terms within x terms in order
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Try not to use punctuation
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Databases ignore these unless it is a question mark
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Try not to use stop words
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Databases ignore these
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