Keyword Searching

If you've searched Google, you've done keyword searching. However, there are some important differences between Google and academic databases provided through libraries. Below are a few tips for keyword searching in databases like ComAbstracts and Communication & Mass Media Complete.

When you type in your search, the database is searching these parts of the articles, books, and other materials it holds:
Author
Article title
Journal title or book title
Abstract (that's the summary of the item)
Subject headings or descriptors (some academic databases have controlled vocabularies unique to a discipline. You can use a thesaurus, like this one from C&MMC, to see whether the discipline has a fixed subject heading or descriptor for the concept you're researching. ComAbstracts has keyword assisted searches that work in a similar way)

Most, but not all, databases require you to type the word and between search terms. If you leave out and, the database reads your terms as an exact phrase.

You only need the major search terms, not prepositions or interrogatives or articles. If your research question is:
"What are the effects of violence on television on children?", your search string would be:
television and violence and children.
If there are too many results, add effect to narrow the search.

Searching for dogs cats will not retrieve as many items as dogs and cats because the database will search for the words dogs cats as a phrase rather than as two separate words.

This diagram illustrates the use of and in a keyword search:

The search dogs and cats will retrieve the items in the middle, where the circles overlap:

You can also use or to broaden a search or to search for synonyms:

The search cats or felines will retrieve the items in both circles, including items that contain both terms:

You can use and not, or sometimes just not, to eliminate a concept:

The search james bond not 007 will retrieve items about the ornithologist and eliminate items about the fictional spy (well, you'll still got some about the fictional spy but using not 007 will get rid of many false hits):

Keyword searching is always a matter of trial and error, even for experienced researchers. With practice, you'll develop techniques that make the process more accurate and productive. The tips on this page will, I hope, help you as you hone your skills. Please feel free to email me for assistance:

Susan Clerc
Reference Librarian

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