Download Online Search Tips - University of Vermont

Online Search Tips
CDAE 267, Fall 2004
Databases to Search
(Available at http://library.uvm.edu  “Find Articles & More”  “Alphabetical List of Databases”)

Expanded Academic ASAP
multi-disciplinary; some full-text content; be sure you switch to “Keyword Searching”
truncation symbol: *
phrase searching: market w1 share

Lexis-Nexis Academic
all full-text content; try your search in two sections of the database:
General News  Magazines and Journals
Business News  Industry News
Truncation symbol: !
Phrase searching: market share

Other databases listed on the UVM Library Web site under “Find Articles & More” 
“Subject List of Databases”  “Business”
__________________________________________________________________________
To broaden your search when you find too few items:




Include additional synonyms or related terms for each search concept, using the “or”
connector.
Example: (restaurant or diner or café) and (advertising or publicity) and (cost or price)
Drop the least important concept (and its synonyms) from your search.
Example: (restaurant or diner or café) and (advertising or publicity) and (cost or price)
Use truncation to find variant forms of your search terms. Consult the online help in each
database to learn the appropriate truncation symbol.
Example: clothing and market? [“market?” finds market, markets, marketing, marketer,
marketable, marketability]
Try your search in another database.
To narrow your search when you find too many items:



Add another concept to your search by using the “and” connector.
Example: bakeries and retail
Limit your search to a specific year or range of years.
Remove some of the synonyms that you connected with the “or” connector in your search
statement, leaving the most important or specific term to describe each concept.
Example: (restaurant or diner or café) and (advertising or publicity)
Trina Magi, Library Associate Professor, University of Vermont, Fall 2004