When you search using Primo Search or a library database, use the keywords you identified earlier to create your search.
Combine keywords with search operators, rather than searching with a whole sentence or question. Search operators tell Primo or the database how to search with your keywords.
| Search Operator | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| Use AND to retrieve results that contain both of your search terms. | taxation AND reporting | |
| Use OR to retrieve results that contain any or all of your search terms. | inflation OR growth | |
| Using NOT to exclude irrelevant results. |
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| Use quotation marks to search for a phrase. | "project management" | |
| Group terms or equivalent keywords with parentheses to create complex searches. | (tax OR taxation) AND "financial reporting" | |
| Search for terms with different word endings using an asterisk. | manag* = manage, managed, managing, management | |
| A question mark can be used to replace a single letter within a word. | organi?ation = organization or organisation |
An example search strategy might look like:
Remember: you will need to try a range of searches. Don't stop after just one.
Before you start searching, think about what types of information you need and where you can search for them.
Primo Search is an effective starting point for research, providing access to most of our Library's collection.
You may get a large number of results and some of these will be from outside your subject/discipline area. Check the content is relevant to your task before you use it.
The Advanced Search option in Primo helps you find more relevant results by assisting you to combine keywords and select search operators. You can also search using parameters like operator, field selector, search type, and search box.
To learn more:
Databases will help you find academic resources and are often subject specific. You will get fewer results than Primo, but they will be more relevant to your subject/discipline. You can find the Library's databases on the A-Z Databases page. Databases are grouped into subject areas.
The Business, Management, Marketing & WHS database list has more databases you can search.
I recommend trying the following databases:
For more information on how to search efficiently:
Primo Search and most databases also allow you to limit your search or refine your results set by filters. The options will depend on the database you are searching.
Common filters include:
In many cases, you can also limit a search to scholarly or peer reviewed articles.
Make use of the material or publication type options across databases as this will allow you to refine your results to see particular resources types including:
Records in library databases are comprised of fields containing specific pieces of bibliographic information. Limiting your search to specific fields can yield more precise results. Common fields include:
Searching within the abstract fields (AB) can be particularly helpful. This is because abstracts, as summaries of articles, are very keyword-rich: If you get a 'hit' on a keyword in an abstract you will usually find the article is relevant. The abstract is also a good source to find additional keywords you can use in your search strategies.
A proximity search forces a database to find results where one search term appears within a certain number of words of another search term. The proximity operator varies according to the database.
Examples from an EBSCOhost database:
N=near
W=within
| If you search for | You will get results for |
| shoreline N3 erosion | Results where shoreline is within 3 words of erosion in any order |
| shoreline W3 erosion | Results where shoreline is within 3 words of erosion in the same order |
Once you have found a good article, you can use its citations or reference list to find additional resources.
Remember you will still need to evaluate any resource you find using these methods.
Check the reference lists of articles you have already found to find related readings. This will lead you to resources that are older, so keep this in mind if your lecturer would like you to use recent material.
Check who has cited the article you've already found. This will lead you to material that is newer.
Some, but not all, databases have a feature where you can see who has cited the resource at which you're looking.
The database is unlikely to show you every citing article. This is because no database will contain every resource written on a topic. A database can only compare its own records.
You can also use our citation databases to undertake footnote chasing and citation searching.
Journal databases use a controlled vocabulary when indexing article records to enable information to be grouped by topic. By controlling the vocabulary, the database ensures that synonyms and similar phrases are collected under one accepted term.
You can search using a database's vocabulary. When you are in a database there will usually be a hyperlink near the search boxes called thesaurus, subjects, or subject headings.
For more information:
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