A database is a collection of organized and stored information designed for search and retrieval. Databases come in various forms and can be used for different applications.
Libraries typically subscribe to research databases. Research databases are electronic platforms that contain a collection of electronic information that is searchable and, in most cases, retrievable in full-text format. Specifically, they encompass articles from periodicals like academic journals, newspapers, magazines, and trade publications. You can find an alphabetical list of all of the library's databases and their descriptions on the A-Z Databases list.
Databases are designed to function differently from search engines like Google or Yahoo. The key to navigating databases is to apply certain search techniques that work well with databases. See below for more information about database search techniques and tools.
Not all databases process search input the same way; however, a majority do incorporate a phrase searching function. Phrase searching is another technique that can be used to narrow a search.
To initiate a phrase search, enclose a search term, phrase, or title in quotation marks or parentheses.
Example: "business management" or (business management)
There are two main strategies for searching in library databases: using either keywords or subject terms.
Keywords are general words or phrases used to describe a topic and originate from the user.
Subject terms, also known as subject headings, are specific words used by indexers and catalogers to describe content in databases.
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Keywords |
Subject Terms |
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Uncontrolled terminology and natural language, permitting an open form of searching |
Controlled vocabulary originating from particular fields of study |
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Search terms originate from the user |
Vocabulary is already assigned by an expert |
|
Unfamiliar with the technical terminology of a subject |
Knowledgeable in the terminology of a particular subject |
|
Broadens the search and set of results |
Narrows the search for a refined set of results |
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Can appear in several areas of a source (e. g. document title, publication titles, subject headings, abstract, summary, and full text) |
Typically appear in the subject heading field on the article's record page |
Searching by Subject Terms
Subject terms are formal and differ from database to database, so before searching by subject term, the correct term will need to be identified. Generally, subject terms can be found on an article's record page, or there may be a link labeled "Thesaurus" or "Subject Terms" on the database's advanced search screen.
Once a subject term has been identified, it can be entered into the database's search box, and then the "Subject Terms" field from the drop-down menu to the right of the search box should be selected.
Boolean operators in databases are tools that allow researchers to connect keywords to refine, broaden, or narrow a search. Boolean is an application of database logic, consisting of three operators: AND, OR, and NOT
Fields are elements of a source's record that can be searched in databases. These fields include, but are not limited to the following:
A database's searchable fields can usually be found to the right of the keyword search boxes:
Applying truncation can be helpful in broadening your search to help you retrieve more related information about your topic. Truncation allows you to search for different variations of a word based on its root.
You can apply truncation to words using the asterisk symbol (*). For example, searching for the keyword cultur* will retrieve results that contain the following keywords:
When conducting research, your topic will often have ideas or concepts that can be expressed multiple ways. For example, the term teenagers might also be described as adolescents, youth, teens, or young adults. Higher education might also be referred to as post-secondary education, tertiary education, colleges or universities. Online learning might also be referred to as distance learning, virtual learning, e-learning, or even correspondence school.
To retrieve the broadest set of search results, you may include several variations of your search terms using the "nesting" approach. Nesting uses parentheses () to keep concepts that are alike together. Be sure to nest related terms together in parentheses in a single search box.
Example: (teenagers OR adolescents OR youth OR teens)
Proximity searching can help make your search more specific and efficient in library databases.
Proximity searching is used to narrow searches by finding words that are next to, near, or within a specified distance from each other. This is useful when you are looking for concepts that might be expressed by multiple different phrases.
The proximity operators are typically composed of a letter (N or W) and a number (to specify the number of words).
The proximity operator is placed between the words that are to be searched, as follows:
Near Operator (N): N5 finds the words if they are a maximum of five words apart from one another, regardless of the order in which they appear. For example, type tax N5 reform to find results that have a maximum of five words between the beginning and ending terms, that would match tax reform as well as tax that has been submitted for reform.
Within Operator (W): W8 finds the words if they are within eight words of one another, in the order in which you entered them. For example, type tax W8 reform to find results that would match tax reform but would not match reform of income tax.
Example: curriculum n5 theories
The CSU librarians can support you during the research process with personalized reference services. We are happy to help you with the following tasks: