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Preparing for Success

Create your search strategies

Use Boolean operators AND, OR

  • Use AND to combine different concepts, e.g. Art AND community.
  • Use OR with keyword synonyms and related terms, e.g. (mobile phones OR cell phones).

Use  truncation (the * symbol),  to search the different forms of a word simultaneously, e.g. sustain* will find results containing sustain, sustains, sustainable, sustainability, sustaining and sustained.

Use phrases search by placing double quotation marks " - " around two or more words, e.g. “climate change”. This technique will ensure your results only contain the exact phrase.

Searching database video tutorials

Video Database searching

Google Scholar

When you are searching, always remember to set Google Scholar preferences - this means that you will be able to directly access any articles/journals that the SCU Library has subscribed to.

Google Scholar Search