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ENGL 1301 - Hainline: Step 2: Create a Search Strategy

This guide explains the research process as inquiry and provides the process to identify the more appropriate database to search for your subject.

Steps to create your search strategy

1. Identify the best database for your topic

2. Ask Who, What, When, Where to help come up with the keywords you will use to search for articles on your topic.

3. Combine the of keywords you found accessing the Encyclopedias with the Boolean operators of OR & AND to (Broaden) or (Narrow) your search results.

4. Be on the lookout for even more synonyms for your keywords and be flexible

Step 1. Combine keywords and Boolean Operators

Word/Phrase

 OR

Word/Phrase

OR

Word/Phrase

 

 

 

 

 

"Public Librar*"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AND

 

 

Future

 

OR

 

 

Relevan*

 

OR

 
 

Step 2. Identify the best database for your topic

Click on the databases tab on the library's homepage.

  • If you know which database you already want to select then click on the Select a Database Box and select the database by name.
  • If you don't know the name of the database click on the Select a Topic Box and search for your database by subject.  
  • You can also find the best database by searching OneSearch and limiting your initial search by database.  
  • You can also start with an advance OneSearch and select the appropriate database from the list below.