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Research Skills

Searching for resources

The basics of searching

Search by topic/keywords 

e.g. implementing marketing
strategies  

Search by subjects

e.g. customer service

Search by key concepts

e.g. PESTEL analysis

Image: Use Library Search and databases, use keywords and omit any unnecessary words

Library resources

Search the catalogue to discover
resources available through the library.

 Do a broad search of your topic.

 Use refiners to narrow your results
by resource type, date range and more.

•  Library Search video  play button

Databases

Search the Library databases to gain
full-text access to scholarly journal articles.

 Always limit results to full-text only.

 Use database refiners to narrow your   
results.

See database help guides for more information
and user tips for each specific database.

•  Databases video  play button 
   An introduction, learn the basics.

•  5 tips for database searching video  play button

Web sources

Search the internet to find general
background information.

 Always evaluate websites carefully.

 Algorithms put the most clicked on pages
at the top of the results, not the most relevant.

 Need help choosing and evaluating resources? See selecting your resources page for more information.

Advanced searching

Boolean operators and search techniques

 AND 

Search for resources with both terms in them.

Search: cats AND dogs

Retrieves resources about cats and dogs

 

 OR 

Search for resources with either term in them.

Search: cats OR dogs

Retrieves resources about either cats or dogs

 

 NOT 

Search for resources with only one of the terms in them.

Search: cats NOT dogs

Retrieves resources about cats excluding dogs

Exact phrase

"Social media"

 

(Group together)

chocolate AND (cake OR tart)

 

Truncation*

lion* = lion, lioness, lionfish 

 

Wild?card

wom?n = woman, women

Refining and broadening your search

Too many results?

 + Use more search terms

 + Add a location or date range

“” Put quotation marks around phrases

Too few results?

⇔ Broaden your search terms

+ Add synonyms to your search terms

⇔ Use a wider date range