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Start Your Research: Create a Search Strategy

Not sure how to find academic sources for your classes? This guide will provide ample resources to help you get started!
  • URL: https://library.park.edu/research

Search Tips

Need help Searching? Check out these Search Tips!

These tips pertain to many library databases including the "Advanced Search" screen of Pirate Search.

Boolean Operators (AND / OR)

  AND OR
How it works: Search results contain both Term #1 and Term #2 Search results contain either Term #1 or Term #2 (or both)
Effects on search results: Narrows /
Fewer results		 Broadens /
More results
Examples with diagrams:

Peas AND Carrots

Results = the middle area overlapped by both circles
AND diagram

Peas OR Carrots

Results = the entire area
of both circles
OR

 

Asterisks and Quotation Marks

Using an asterisk wildcard (*) at the end of a partial word will broaden search results by including multiple word endings.

When searching for a specific phrase (two or more words together), adding quotation marks around that phrase will typically narrow your search results.

For example:

  • Using child* will search for all variations of the word child, including children, children's, or childhood.
  • A search on "sexual strategies theory" -- with the quotation marks included -- will retrieve only those records containing these three words together in this exact order.

Searching Specific Fields Rather Than Keyword Search

Not finding helpful resources with just a general keyword search? When you search a keyword, the search engine is looking for that keyword ANYWHERE in the article--in the title, in the abstract, in the footnotes, in the annotated bibliography, anywhere. To limit your results to only the most relevant, consider searching for a word under the "title" or "subject" categories rather than "keyword."

Limit to a Relevant Date Range

For some research assignments, you may want only the most up-to-date content. You can filter your results to a specific publication date range--for example, scientific articles published within the past year, to find the best content. For more information, see our video tutorial below on limiting your Pirate Search results!

Building a Better Search

Identifying the major concepts and similar terms (synonyms) for your research topic...

Example topic: "The effects of media violence on children"

  Original Term   Synonym #1   Synonym #2
  Media OR Television OR Movies
AND Violence OR Aggression    
AND Children OR Youth OR Adolescents

 

...can help you construct a better search query, which yields better search results!

EBSCO Advanced Search screenshot

What are peer-reviewed sources and how do I find them?

How to Limit Your Pirate Search Results

What is a Concept Map?

A concept map can help you identify the key ideas or concepts to use when you're researching your topic using books and articles. To complete the concept map:

  1. Open or print a copy of the blank Concept Map linked below. You can also view a completed sample version.
  2. Complete Step 1 on the worksheet by writing down your topic or research question, and identifying keywords in your topic (you should have two or three). These are the words or concepts that are most important in your topic. They may be a single word, or a short phrase.
  3. Complete Step 2 on the worksheet:
    1. Write your keywords in the boxes provided, with one keyword in each box.
    2. Brainstorm alternate keywords for each one. Alternate keywords could be synonyms, or similar concepts or ideas that fall within the same general category as your keywords.
    3. Write your alternate keywords in the box associated with each keyword.

Create a Concept Map

Create a Concept Map

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