Unlike Google, research databases use sophisticated indexing to organize information. If you know how to search them, these databases can give you more relevant and reliable information than Google. Here's how to do it:
- Brainstorm keywords. Break down your topic into key concepts. Then, write down as many words as you can think of that describe those concepts. These are your keywords.
- Use Boolean operators (AND, OR, and NOT) between your keywords. Keep them in all caps. Use OR between synonym keywords. Use AND between different concepts. Use parenthesis around each concept.
- Example: (dog OR puppy OR canine) AND (vocalizations OR barking OR whining OR growling) NOT cats
- Hit search!
- Use limiters (usually on one side of the results page) to narrow down your results. Limit by date (usually the last 5-10 years because you want the most recent research). Explore other helpful limiters.
- Explore the results list. Go through several pages and see if anything stands out. Notice other keywords that researchers are using that you might want to add to your search.
- Refine your search with more/fewer/different keywords until you get the results you want. Adding concepts with AND will narrow your search. Adding synonyms with OR will broaden your search.
On the next page, you will find example keywords and searches for each of your topics. Feel free to use them as a starting point.
