First, Choose a Database. Databases have subject strengths. At Newman Library browse a list of databases by subject.

Then, Brainstorm Keywords - Most databases, unlike Google, don't use a single search box where you enter a string of words. Instead break your research question down into one or more concepts. Develop keywords to describe each concept.

Boolean operators (or logical connectors) -- AND, OR, and NOT-- are used to link keywords in search statements.  Boolean operators are used to broaden or narrow a search. 

AND Keywords combined with AND will retrieve records only where both terms appear.

AND is used to narrow a search

Example:   Avon AND market share 

OR Keywords combined with OR will retrieve records where either one or both terms appear.

OR is used to broaden a search 

Example:   hmo OR health maintenance organization 

Truncation – Truncation allows you to search for plurals or other variant endings of a word. Add a “wildcard” symbol to stand for one or more characters at the end of the word stem.

Example: Downsize* will retrieve downsized or downsizing

Example: wom*n will retrieve woman or women

Be Careful: cat* will retrieve cats, category, catastrophe