ENGL 2 (Bonis): Finding Articles and Videos

Search Tips

Each database has a different layout and interface, and various search options like full-text, date limits, and so on.. Some databases, such as EBSCOHost, ProQuest, and the Health Reference Center, have more sophisticated search capabilities. You can save, print, cite (get citations in different citation styles), or email the articles.

• Check the Full-Text box to limit your results to articles with full-text that are available immediately. (Your results may come back as full text or only as citations/abstracts. If there is a “Find full text” link in the citation, click that to look for your article in another database.)
• Check the Scholarly Journals or Peer-reviewed or Refereed box for scholarly articles.
• Do a preliminary search with one or two broad terms and then refine your search by adding more precise terms. You can use more than one term along with Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) in a search. The more terms you use with AND, the fewer the results, but they are more relevant results.  Use synonyms and antonyms with OR and parentheses, e.g., (teenage OR adolescent), and other related terms to broaden your search and to retrieve more comprehensive results.
• Choose the appropriate search fields, such as keyword or abstract, for your search terms.
• Make sure to check your spelling --- especially if you get zero results.
• When using a new database, try to spend a few minutes to look at the interface of tabs, icons and buttons, and explore different search options and functions. Try the Help link!

Database search options

1. Boolean Operators: AND, OR, NOT
   • AND – search for articles that contain all words before and after the AND. For example: type pollution AND death to search for articles that include both ‘pollution’ and ‘death’.
   • OR – search for articles that have either search term before or after the OR. For example: type football OR soccer to search articles about either ‘football’ or ‘soccer’.
   • NOT – eliminate articles that have the term after the NOT.  For example:

type surfing NOT Internet to search articles that include ‘surfing’, but exclude articles with the word, ‘Internet’ (Internet surfing).

• You can combine Boolean operators to limit your search. For example, if you are looking for children’s games, but don’t want to include computer games, you would type:  (children OR kids) AND games NOT computer

1. Truncation and Wildcard: * ?
   • Use truncation to replace letters after the root of your key word. A quick way to include plurals, tense variations and alternate spellings.

Example: type librar* to find articles that contain library, libraries, librarian and librarians.

• Use wildcard to replace a single letter in your search.

Example: type wom?n to find articles that contain woman and/or women.

• Truncation and wildcard symbols vary among databases. Always check the Help menu!

1. Phrase Searching: “ ”
   • Use double quotation marks [“ ”] to find articles that contain an exact phrase.  For example: type “color blind” to find articles for that exact phrase. You’ll get fewer results, and it will exclude articles that don’t contain the phrase in that exact order.

The library subscribes to a wide range of databases that allow you to search for specific information on your topic in thousands of newspapers and journals. Many of your instructors will require you to find peer-reviewed articles. Peer-review articles have the highest credibility because the information within the article is double checked by experts in the field.

In the box to the left is a list of databases that we suggest. You can also browse our full list of databases by clicking on the link below.
There is a collection of video tutorials for you to use, including short videos on how to use particular databases.

Did you know you can get access to more articles in Google Scholar if you link your Google Scholar account to the Butte College Library?  Watch the video below to find out how.