Most of the Library's databases have advanced search features that allow a user to create more targeted searches. These features do not always lead to better results, and certainly many of them greatly reduce the number of results. Below are a few of the more standard features available across databases. Keep in mind that many of these features will look different from database to database.
In the following examples you will see videos and documented directions for using these various techniques. As you begin to use these techniques in your own search, remember you can meet with a Lavery Librarian for additional guidance. Use the Meet with a Librarian link below to find a time to meet, either in-person or over Zoom.
The following example search uses the drop down menu options available from most databases. The drop down menu uses field codes from the record to search more narrowly than a keyword search. Keyword searches will often search an entire document and therefore retrieve false, or less useful, results.
Using the drop down menu available from the advanced search screen in ProQuest Central, see how the search results change between the following two search results sets.
Sticking with the example topic about college students use of social media for change, the image below shows the following search statement entered, without using the drop down menu to filter: ("college students" OR "young adults" OR students) AND ("social media" OR TikTok OR Instagram) AND ("social change" OR protest OR "social reform")
The search image below shows the same search, however Abstract has been selected from the drop down menu. Thus only allowing the database to search the abstract of resources for the key terms entered.
Proximity search is a great option when phrase searching is too narrow. It allows you to construct a search that looks within a predefined number of words for another. For example, the earlier topic about mentorship and African American women might benefit from proximity searching if the results aren't closely bringing back results related to the mentorship of African American women. Keep in mind that each database creates proximity searches differently, you should use the Help menu to build this style of search or connect with a librarian.
Use help menu, on the top right of all EBSCOhost databases, for more information about proximity searching. For this example, the focus will be on connecting "African American women" and mentoring using the proximity operators. To construct this search, use the following operator: N followed by the number of words separating the concepts. Using this information, the search statement would be: "African American women" N5 mentor*, and all the search words and operators are placed in the same box.
Watch this video tutorial to learn about searching APA PsycNET with Index Terms. Index Terms are also known as controlled vocabulary or subject headings, and are found in the APA Thesaurus.