Before you search a library database, Plan Your Search Strategies
1. State your topic idea as a statement or question.
2. What information do you need to explore this topic?
Example: I need info on the different kinds of bias gay men face in the U.S. – homophobia, violence against queer people, rejection by parents
I need information on gender roles for men, social rules or norms for masculinity and femininity, gender stereotypes, toxic masculinity
I need information on drag queens
3. Identify your main concepts. Make a list of synonyms/similar words and related terms for each concept. These are the keywords you will later type into OneSearch or another library database. Example:
Concept 1 |
Concept 2 | Concept 3 |
---|---|---|
Gender roles |
gay men |
homophobia |
toxic masculinity |
queer people |
violence |
gender stereotypes |
homosexuality |
rejection |
Then decide which concepts or keywords you will search in what combination.
Think about your search limits. Do you want to limit your search to current materials or do you need a historical view? Are you looking for scholarly or popular resources? What are the requirements of the assignment? What search tool will help you find the resources you need?
Combine Keywords/Concepts
Searching databases requires a little more search structure than our average Google Search.
Always try more than one search!
You can combine your keywords using AND, OR & NOT
For more about structuring your searches in databases using AND, OR, & NOT (what librarians call Boolean Logic), watch the following videos:
Search Tips
Start your library research using
OneSearch provides simple, one-stop searching for books and e-books, videos, articles, digital media, and more; it combines the contents of many of the databases our library subscribes to.
Watch the following OneSearch video about how to:
OneSearch Search Steps