This document provides guidance on searching databases to find scholarly articles. It recommends starting with broad search terms and using Boolean operators to refine results. The document also suggests limiting results to peer-reviewed journals, full text articles, and relevant subject headings. Once the number of results is smaller, the searcher can add more specific keywords to explore topics in depth using a "berrypicking" search strategy. The precise tools may vary by database, but effective search strategies can be transferred across databases.

1. SEARCHING DATABASES
Humanities International Complete from Ebsco
Kate Garner

2. 1. Enter some general search terms in the search box. Try to think broadly. Use Boolean operators to
improve your search. AND will make your results narrower.

3. • 2. A broad search will return broad results., but that can be useful when you’re in the early
stages of developing a research topic. However, at 264 results we’re still going to have to do
some refining.

4. • 3. Look at the ‘Refine Your Results’ Menu to the side of your results.
Select ‘Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals’ and/or ‘Full Text’ to make
sure you find peer-reviewed articles that you can access online via CSU’s
subscription

5. 4. Scrolling further down the Refine Menu, you’ll see an option to check a box to limit your results to a
particular subject heading. These are assigned by database employees when an article is added. They are a
good way to ensure your results are actually ABOUT the topic you’re searching for, and don’t just mention it in
passing.

6. 5. Once I’ve applied these limiters, my search results are refined to a smaller number of more relevant, scholarly
journal articles. 76 is still too many to read in full, but enough to give you a sense of what critics are saying
about Mrs. Dalloway.

7. 6. Once you’ve gotten a sense of what themes you might like to explore in depth, you can add more specific
keywords to your search terms, and try a couple of different searches. This approach is what Bawden and
Robinson call ‘berrypicking’ and is just one of many search strategies for finding information (2015, 153).

8. Reference List
Bawden, D., & Robinson, L. (2015). Introduction to Information Science. London: Facet.
The precise features and tools you use will vary from database to
database, but the strategies you employ are transferrable. We encourage
you to spend some time familiarising yourself with the features of each
database you use. Librarians are also available to teach you how to search
for scholarly articles effectively. Email us or chat with us online to make an
appointment.