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EDF 600: Applied Research in Education and Behavioral Sciences

General Search Strategies

Whether searching through the main search box on the library website or in databases, some general strategies can make your searches more effective.

  • Use the Advanced Search option.
  • Connect with Boolean Operators
    • AND will NARROW your results
    • OR will EXPAND your results
    • NOT will exclude that term in your results

             To learn more about Boolean Searching watch this brief video:

"Online Research: Tips for Effective Search Strategies" by Sarah Clark is licensed under  CC BY 4.0.

  • Use the Thesaurus to locate authoritative terms to use as keywords.
  • Pay close attention to the Subjects listed in an item's record.