This PPT for Ms. Lawrence's ENG 101 class will cover different strategies for searching in the SCC Library databases.

1. Searching in Library
Databases

2. Hello!
I am Amber Pierdinock
I’ll be your embedded librarian this semester.
Email: pierdinocka@sccsc.edu
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3. Welcome!
Hi everyone! I know you are working on your
research for Essay 2 on Popular Culture. This
PPT will walk you through some tips and tricks
on how to search in library databases.
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4. A Note About Keywords
• Library databases require you to search by
keywords instead of full sentences, like
Google.
• Avoid using keywords like “what,” “have,”
“does,” “impact,” or “effect.”
• These words are too common and won’t
help you narrow down your search.
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5. How to Come Up with Keywords
• You don’t always need to use “popular
culture” as a keyword.
• You can use other terms that are related to
your topic as keywords.
• Create a concept map as a way to help you
brainstorm and come up with keywords on
your topic.
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6. Concept Maps
• Also called mind maps.
• Help you see connections between ideas.
• Start with 5 Ws + How
• Who?
• What?
• When?
• Where?
• Why?
• How?
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7. Boolean Operators
• To search multiple keywords at once, use Boolean
Operators, which tell the database to connect the
terms together in your search.
• There are 3 Boolean Operators:
• AND
• OR
• NOT
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8. Boolean Operator – AND
• All keywords must appear in your search.
• AND will narrow down your search and you
will get less (but more focused) results.
• Example:
• “Selena Gomez” AND lupus
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9. Boolean Operator – OR
• OR will broaden your search.
• OR tells the database that you want results that
mention either of your search results.
• Good to use when there are multiple ways to
describe your keyword.
• Example:
• “celebrity worship” OR “parasocial relationships”
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10. Boolean Operator – NOT
• NOT excludes certain keywords from your
search.
• Useful if your keyword has multiple
meanings that give irrelevant results.
• Example:
• “Hedy Lamarr” NOT Hollywood
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11. Quotation Marks
• When you have a search term that is 2+
words long, put quotation marks around the
phrase.
• This searches the phrase as a whole and not
as individual words.
• Example:
• “pop culture”
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12. Thanks!
Any questions?
You can find me at pierdinocka@sccsc.edu
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13. Credits
Special thanks to all the people who made and
released these awesome resources for free:
� Presentation template by SlidesCarnival
� Photographs by Unsplash
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