Tricks in database searching for concept analysis terms.

SCIENCEDIRECT 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

 

TRUNCATION
(WILDCARDS):

PROXIMITY
(replace nn with a number)

LOGICAL OR

SCIENCEDIRECT

*

W/nn

OR

Enter the complete phrase in the following form:
LOVE W/5 (CONCEPT* OR DEFIN* OR UNDERSTAND* OR CONCEIVE* OR UNDERSTOOD)

Remove check from Abstract Databases

Change box to Full Text

Click on Green SEARCH box

Click on Browser's BACK button if too many items are retrieved. Modify by adding concept word or discipline term in 2nd box. Restrict 2nd concept word to "Abstract, Title, Keywords".

 

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: ACADEMIC UNIVERSE examples

Go to: FIRSTSEARCH examples

Go to: INFOTRAC examples

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