Library Guides: ITC571 Research Skills Guide: Search tips

Common Search Tips

There are a number of techniques you can use while searching to get better and more relevant results.

Using the keywords identified in the previous keyword mapping example, to try using the following search operators and examples.

Alternatively try these search terms in a database Advanced Search.

Advanced search

When you have multiple keywords or complex search queries, using Advanced search can be helpful. This usually involves several different boxes for your different keywords, built-in search operators, and more options for field searching and limiters.

Most databases will have a link to Advanced Search next to their Basic search option. Advanced Search in Google Scholar is accessible from the menu.

These search tips can help you to find more relevant results in Primo Search and many other library databases. If these tips don't work in the database you are using check their help section for their set of symbols.

Search Operator	Example
Use AND to retrieve results that contain both of your search terms.	ICT AND issues
Use OR to retrieve results that contain any or all of your search terms.	information technology OR IT
Using NOT to exclude irrelevant results.	cybercrime NOT crime
Combine terms with parentheses to create complex searches.	(information communication technology OR ICT) AND issues
Use quotation marks to search for a phrase	"database systems"
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.	analy?e = analyse, analyze

Proximity Searching

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:

Ethics N3 autonomous vehicles (N=near). This will find results where Ethics is within 3 words of autonomous vehicles in any order
Ethics W3 autonomous vehicles (W=within) This will find results where Ethics is within 3 words of autonomous vehicles in the order in which you entered the search terms

Get better search results

Using Google Scholar

Find peer reviewed articles

Articles published in peer reviewed or refereed journals have been through a formal approval process. This process is intended to ensure that the article is:

accurate
well-researched
contributing to the body of knowledge in the field

To find peer reviewed articles:

select to show only peer reviewed journals in Primo Search
limit to peer reviewed or scholarly journals in journal databases

However, as these options are just an indication of peer review status the definitive way to find out if your article has been peer reviewed is to use Ulrichsweb Global Periodicals Directory.