Michael Schwartz Library
Michael Schwartz Library
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+ Think of synonyms or similar words that convey the same meaning
+ Look at related terms displayed when searching a database to see which words are most commonly used for that topic/concept
+ To connect search terms, use OR or use AND:
"OR" Operator - broadens search and increases results
Example: Searching for "College Students" OR "University Students"
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"AND" Operator - narrows search, making it more specific and decreases results
Example: Searching for "College Students" AND Music
+ To be more specific, search only in the TITLE field
Peer-reviewed articles are also known as "scholarly" or "refereed" articles. Before being accepted for publication in a journal, they have been reviewed by a panel of experts in that field or on that topic. Peer-reviewed articles are the best available.
A search in Academic Search Complete and other select research databases can be limited to peer-reviewed journal articles by checking off the "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals" box under "Limit your results."
1. Search in the appropriate Research Databases using subject terms for your topic.
2. If the article you want is not available in full text in the database or the link is broken, search for the journal title in "Journals at CSU." See "Find a Journal Reference" in left column.
3. If CSU doesn't subscribe to that journal in print or online format (i.e. it is not in "Journals at CSU"), you may request it through Interlibrary Loan. See "Find a Journal Reference" in left column for more information.