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BIO 101 - Biology 1: The Basics of Life - Cutone: Find Articles

Notes on searching

Our databases work much in the same way that Google does. You type your keywords in the search box and the database searches for items that contain your words. These keywords are very important. Having good keywords can save you a lot of time and frustration. It is not a good idea to type your research question or paper title into the search box. Putting too many keywords in the box will hamper your success.

Think about your topic and pull out the main concepts. Use only these concepts to search for information.

For example, take the following research question: Can excessive use of social media contribute to addictive behaviors (drugs, tobacco, alcohol) or mental health issues?

To find information on this topic you should begin with the search terms: social media and addictive behaviors, or social media and mental health.

Begin with a basic search and use your results to find other search terms to refine your search.

Skills- Discovering Keywords

Our databases work much in the same way that Google does. You type your keywords in the search box and the database searches for items that contain your words.

These keywords are very important. Having good keywords can save you a lot of time and frustration. It is not a good idea to type your research question or paper title into the search box. Putting too many keywords in the box will hamper your success.

Think about your topic and pull out the main concepts. Use only these concepts to search for information.

Remember that wiki's, google searches and other 'quick' web searches can be used to gather ideas and keywords but will not yield reliable sources for your project. 

Developing Keywords

Five Steps to Developing a Keyword list

  1. Have a well-formed research question
  2. Pull core terms from the research question
  3. Brainstorm a list of alternative terms or phrases for each core term
  4. Organize the list of terms and phrases by creating a hierarchy, indicating broader, narrower and similar words for each core term
  5. Identify which terms you would combine to conduct a search

 

From: https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/910043/pages/generating-keywords-for-successful-searching

Resources - SnapSearch!

Our new SNAP! Search makes finding information and credible sources a breeze. Search almost all of our databases at once with this powerful search. Here, you’ll find journals, books, videos, magazines, and more all in one search.

Resources - Browzine

Resources - Science Databases

Resource - Medical Databases

Interlibrary Loan for articles

Did you find an article you would like to use for your research, but we don't have full text access?

You may request the book be sent to you via our InterLibrary Loan Service.

How to submit a request:

1. Check to make sure the journal and the full text article is not available through another NSCC database. Search Full-Text Finder.

If you locate the full text article, click on the full-text access button to open and read the article. 

2. If the full-text article is not available, fill out the InterLibrary Loan Article Request form. 
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