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Search Process
Like any other skill, computerized searching involves a particular analytical process that is learned but improves and becomes more intuitive with practice. Typically you will:
- Choose a database: use topic search, library research guides, or librarians can help.
- Define your topic. Write down your research question concisely and identify the major concepts or terms.
- Combine concepts into a super search statement: using truncation, wild cards, logical operators (AND, OR, NOT), proximity operators, and other refining capabilities that will vary with each service.
- Review results, filter, and modify the original statement based on information and additional keywords gleaning for good prospects!
- Download/print results.
- Record search strategy for future reference, particularly if working on long term and group projects.
- Record sources for bibliographies and for reference.
Search Syntax Varies Among Systems
Each computerized service, including Internet search engines, handle keywords in different ways with varying capabilities. For more effective searching check help screens, advanced searching or other search tips to find out the power and syntax of the service. For step-by-step instructions on using computerized services, consult the individual instructions for each database on the Library Web Site's Electronic Resources page.
Mastering the Syntax: Chart 
Phrases
If you want to search the company Rainforest Café looking for the words Rainforest and Café next to each other in the exact order, you might do it in one of several ways:
| "Rainforest Café" | in Google | | Rainforest Café | in LexisNexis or Factiva | | Bertucci's brick oven pizzeria | in ProQuest (3 or more words) | | 'Rainforest Café' | in WebNET Library Catalog |
You are in control!
Advanced capabilities give you great control over what information a computerized service returns. Research is an exploration and you should be prepared to change tactics depending on initial results. In general, your goal will be to either broaden the search and find more information, or to focus the search and arrive at a smaller set of more specific results.
Strategies for Broadening the Search
Include synonyms and related terms, variations of a root word or different spellings.
1. Truncation
Use truncation to find all possible variant endings. To retrieve automobile or automotive, you might use these examples, but keep in mind this will also match automation.
| automo$ | in WebNET Library Catalog | | automo! | in LexisNexis | | Auto* | in InfoTrac or Factiva or ProQuest |
2. Wild Cards
Sometimes one or more characters or "wild cards" can be used in place of letters to accommodate various spellings. For instance, to retrieve woman or women, you might use:
| wom*n | in LexisNexis | | wom?n | in Library Catalog, ProQuest, InfoTrac |
3. Logical (boolean) Operators
OR between words or concepts specifies that either or both terms must appear in a record. This is useful for variations in spelling and terms for the same concepts. For example:
| wal-mart or walmart | | market share or sales or units | 4. Use Parentheses to Group Similar Terms
| (wal-mart or walmart) and (market share or sales or units |
Strategies for Focusing the Search
1. Use another boolean operator, AND, to include additional terms and combine different concepts.
| boston and restaurant and trends | | customers and burger king |
2. AND NOT, or just NOT
Depending upon the service, specifies that the first term must appear in a record, but the second term may not. Use AND NOT to exclude unwanted information. | restaurant and not fast food |
* Tip - When using boolean operators, use parentheses to specify the relationship between terms. Example: (start-up or startup or entrepreneur) and restaurant and Boston
3. Proximity - w/N
When two search terms are close together in the text, the relationship between them is stronger and the document will likely be more relevant for the topics. Use the W/n or Near/n feature to specify the maximum number of words that may come between search words in any order. This is also useful for concepts that are expressed different ways, like "market share" and "share of the market."
| market near4 share | in Factiva | | market w/4 share | in LexisNexis | | market n4 share | in InfoTrac and FirstSearch | | market w/4 share | in ProQuest | | market near share | in Library Catalog |
4. Repetition - atleastN(phrase)
Factiva and LexisNexis offer the atleast command to find articles where the word occurs at least N times in every article. This is a very good way to find lengthy or more in depth discussions of a topic. | atleast9(olive garden) | in LexisNexis | | atleast9 mcdonalds | in Factiva |
5. Searching within Segments or Fields
Fields are distinct portions of the article such as title, lead paragraph, author, or journal name. Some databases have additional fields for company name, subject or geographic area. Most periodical databases on the web have pull-down menus for field searching. You can also use field codes in the search expression. For instance, if an article is focusing on the restaurant Iguana Cantina, the company name will be mentioned in the title, the first paragraph or company field. | hlead (iguana cantina) | in LexisNexis | | co(rainforest café) | in ProQuest | | co=planet hollywood | in RDS Bizsuite | | co Olive Garden | in InfoTrac |
Field names as well as the format will differ among systems and databases within systems. Check Help commands, advanced searching instructions or, in LexisNexis, the Segments button to find the specifics of the database you are using.
6. Narrow to Certain Time Periods
The search screen often has date selection options below the box where you enter search terms. In some programs, it can be built into the search statement.
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