| Phrase search | " " | To search for a group of words in an exact order, | "Martin Luther King, Jt" or "search engine" "the band that sang hold your head up" |
| Site search | site: | To limit searchs to a particular site or domain Pair with -to eliminate hits from a site or domain |
site:gov site:npr.org -site:.com |
| File type | Filetype: | To limit results to certain file types |
Filetype:pdf |
| In Url or In title |
Inurl: Intitle: |
Limit results to those with terms in either the URL or webpage title |
Inurl:equal justice initiative intitle:martin luther king |
* To find a search term within a page, use the "find" feature on the web browser (CRTL+F command)
Tools and Strategies
Most databases offer tools to help you retrieve relevant information. Look for limiting options (date, type of publication, etc.) before and after conducting a search.
Boolean Operators
Tools to use in combination with your search terms to narrow or broaden your search.
Use the Boolean Machine to see a visual representation of what happens with each operator.
Mining Reference Lists
Find the sources that your article used to write the paper, these help to lend credibility to the article and provide you the ability to find other sources regarding your research topic.