Tricks in database searching for concept analysis terms

Tricks in database searching for concept analysis terms.

ACADEMIC UNIVERSE examples

BACK TO: STRATEGIES BASED ON DATABASE
BACK TO: FIELD LABELS
BACK TO: PROXIMITY SEARCHING
BACK TO: SYNONYMS and TRUNCATION
BACK TO: The goal of the literature review

ACADEMIC UNIVERSE:

Includes Legal, medical and popular literature

TRUNCATION
(WILDCARDS):

PROXIMITY
(replace nn with a number)

LOGICAL OR

ACADEMICUNIVERSE

W/nn

FIRST: Identify content area to be searched
SECOND: Paste full search phrase
THIRD: Select dates
FOURTH: Click SEARCH

If no references are retrieved, go broader and use the logical AND instead of a proximity search.

If too many articles are retrieved, the search can easily be modified. Consider adding the concept word to be searched in the abstract or title fields. You could also search for disciplines (art, sociology, computer*) as additional terms.

However, even when searching for disciplines, all terms probably have synonyms.
I tend to add the phrase (Relig* or Theol* or Spirit*) when searching for religious items.

Go to: EBSCO examples

Go to: OVID examples

Go to: FIRSTSEARCH examples

Go to: SCIENCEDIRECT examples

Go to: INFOTRAC examples

Helen Hough, Health Sciences Librarian, University of Texas at Arlington. This page covered by all applicable copyright laws.