BIO 241 - Organization of Life

Searching tips:

Before you search:

-Think of your topic.

• What key words/terms to describe what I am looking for?

- Look at the search screen.  Ask yourself:

• What features are available? 
• How do I put in multiple key words and/or phrases? 
• Can I limit or refine my results?

After you search:  

-Look at your results.  Ask yourself:

• Do I need to broaden or narrow my search? 
• Do I need to use more or different key words?
• What can I learn from what I have found?

Refine your search and search again.

All search environments, even Google, have features to broaden or narrow a search.  Select "Advanced Search" if you do not see the features.

• Use Boolean operators (AND, OR, and NOT) to combine terms.  Don't know how? Look in the database's "help."
  
  • Use AND to narrow.  The results will have one term and the other term.
  • Use OR to broaden.  The results will have one term or the other term or both.
  • Use NOT to eliminate.  The results will not have the term.
              
• To broaden also search word variants (i.e. plural, ...ing,).  Use a truncation symbol at the end of the word.  Typically it is an "*."  Check "help" if you are not sure.