This document provides guidance on developing effective search strategies for research. It instructs users to break down their topic into key concepts, identify related terms for each concept, and construct Boolean search strings combining the concepts and their variations. The document also recommends selecting relevant databases to search and offers tips for modifying searches based on the number of results, such as adding or removing terms using Boolean operators. The goal is to help users locate high-quality resources in a few steps through an organized and targeted search process.

1. LIBRARY INFORMATION COMMON
Search Strategies: In-class Worksheet
Constructing a Search Strategy Guide: http://rdc.libguides.com/biology
Research
Research Strategy Worksheet: Locating Resources in Five Steps
1. State your research topic as completely as you can.
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2. Think about your topic and circle two or three of the most important concepts in your search
topic above.
3. Write each concept in a top space, then list synonymous or related terms, if applicable. If a
thesaurus is available for your database, use appropriate terms from it as well.
Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3
AND/OR AND/OR AND/OR
AND/OR AND/OR AND/OR
AND/OR AND/OR AND/OR
Example:
I would like to find literature on academic achievement of children of single parent families.
Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3
academic achievement children single parent
AND/OR grades AND/OR adolesce*n? AND/OR sole support*
AND/OR performance AND/OR youth AND/OR
Search statement: (academic achievement or grades or performance) and (children or adolescen?)
and (single parent+)
4. Select the database(s) that best cover your topic.
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Created by Julie Anne Kent, Hons., B.A., M.L.I.S.: Updated January 2011

2. LIBRARY INFORMATION COMMON
Search Strategies: In-class Worksheet
Write down your Example: How does violence in the media affect young children?
research question. Research Guide: http://rdc.libguides.com/biology
Underline two or
1 three concepts that
are essential to the
question.
Example: violence Example: media Example: children
Write each concept
2 in its own box.
AND
AN
D
Example: aggression Example: television Example: teenagers
Use these columns
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to list synonyms or
other words that
3 have similar
OR
_________________
AND OR
_________________
AN
D
OR
_________________
meaning for each
concept. OR OR OR
_________________ _________________ _________________
Construct your search using Boolean operators, truncation, and parentheses. Use this search in steps 5 and 6.
Example: (violence or aggression) AND (media or television or movies) AND (children or youth or teenagers)
Tips for Searching
4 Too many records? Add an additional concept with AND (Example: poverty AND crime)
Too few records? Add another search term with OR (Example: college OR university)
Too many records on an unrelated topic? Eliminate a word with NOT (Example: virus NOT computer)
Use a truncation symbol (* ? !) to search for variants of a word. Right-hand truncation is the most common
form of truncation. It allows you to search for the first few letters of a word and retrieve additional letters to
the right.
Examples: (violen* OR aggressi*) AND (child* OR teen*)
Need Articles from Journals, Magazines, or Newspapers? Search Databases (Loop, Library Tab, FIND SUBJECT,
open Subject Guide, FIND ARTICLES TAB, review list of databases available to you)
5 Which databases are most relevant to your topic/question? List the names of relevant databases.
1) 2) 3)
2
Created by Julie Anne Kent, Hons., B.A., M.L.I.S.: Updated January 2011