Writing 116 (Memmott): Search Strategies

" "

To search for specific phrases, enclose them in quotation marks. The database will search for those words together in that order.

Examples:

“platelet disorder”

“salt intake”

“high energy drinks”

“temporomandibular joint disc”

AND, OR

Join together search terms in a logical manner.

AND - narrows searches, used to join dissimilar terms
OR - broadens searches, used to join similar terms

Examples:

#1
asthma AND gene

#2
“joint pain" OR “joint stiffness”

#3
asthma
AND
jogging OR running
AND
bronchoconstriction

TRUNCATION

Truncate a word in order to search for different forms of the same word. Many database use the asterisk * as the truncation symbol.

Example:

Truncate the word child* to search for child, childhood, children etc.

Add the truncation symbol to epilep* to search for epileptic, epilepsy etc.