How to use Library Databases
On this page, we'll show you how to select, search and get the most out of the Library databases. Searching a database is a little different to searching Google. You will need to use some specific techniques to retrieve relevant and suitable content, and it's always a good idea to plan out your search strategy before you start using the databases.
Search Planner
Before you start researching for an assessment, it is a good idea to plan out your search strategy. Use this downloadable search planner to get started.
Choose relevant database/s for your topic
Databases are online collections of evidence (e.g. articles and reports) that are used to find credible and high-quality information on a specific area of study. Check relevant resource guides for your subject area to find databases recommended by your librarians.
You can also access the Library Databases through the A-Z Database Guide (try filtering by subject area!) or use the suggested Databases in the 'Resource Recommendations' section of this guide.
Planning your search
Before you begin looking for resources for your assessment or project, focus on planning your search strategy. A little time spent on this now will save you time and frustration later. Approach your search with these simple steps.
Combine your keywords with search techniques
Once you’ve chosen your keywords, join them together using search techniques to create a search strategy. Use the tabs below to learn about some common database search techniques.
Phrase searching narrows a search to show results that contain an exact phrase.
This is useful when you want to search for a certain string of words.
To conduct a phrase search, add double quotation marks around two or more words you want to search for.
For example: searching for "latent fingerprints" will only return records that contain this exact term. The search will not return results where the word 'latent' or 'fingerprints' appear alone.
Truncation searching broadens a search to show results that include words with variation.
To conduct a truncation search, use an asterisk character * to signify where the variation should exist.
Use this when you want to show results that include words with different endings. For example, searching for impact* will return records that contain any of these words: 'impact', 'impacts', 'impactful', 'impacting' etc.
Truncation searching is sometimes referred to as wildcard searching or stemming.
Boolean searching is a type of search that allows users to combine keywords with operators (such as AND, OR, NOT) to produce more relevant results
Using the word AND between two search terms narrows a search to show results containing both terms.
Conversely, using the word OR between two terms broadens a search to show results containing either term.
Video: Database Search Techniques
Conduct the Search
Below is an example of an advanced search option you’ll find in most databases. It has multiple search boxes with the Boolean operator, AND, listed on the left-hand side. Each concept has been entered into a search box and joined by AND.
Click on the plus icons to learn about each search technique demonstrated.
Activity overview
This interactive activity shows an image of the Library advanced search bars filled in with an example search as follows:
"climate change"
AND extinction OR endangered
AND australia*
There are 3 selectable icons that explain each of the search techniques used in this advanced search.
Technique 1: Grouping your words
Use Quotation marks to search for words in an exact order. This is called phrase searching.
Technique 2: Operators
Using the OR word between terms broadens a search to show results that contain any of the terms. Using AND narrows the search to show results that contain all of the terms.
Technique 3: Using symbols
Add an asterisk to the end of a keyword to find variant word endings. This is called truncation. This example of australia* will find australia, australian, Australians.
Improving your search results
The first search you run should find some academic articles useful to completing your assessment, but it will not find all of them. After running the first search it is important to skim read the academic articles that appeared in the database based on your search strategy.
Keep looking out for alternative keywords as you scan the articles in your search results to add to your search strategy. Experiment with your keywords and concepts - trying different search techniques, adding or removing concepts and testing more specific or general keywords. Always be guided by search result relevance.
Troubleshooting suggestions:
Too many search results?
- Double check you used your search techniques (*, “”) and operators correctly (AND, OR)
- Try using more specific terms
- Search abstracts (use the ‘select a field’ drop-box)
- Use some limiters (date, language)
- Adding another concept, if relevant, will narrow your search e.g. adding an Australia concept to only find Australian literature
Too few search results?
- Add more keywords to your concepts
- Double check you used your search techniques (*, “”) and operators correctly (AND, OR)
- Re-evaluate your topic or question
- Try citation searching to explore different terminology used in the area, and add these keywords to your own search
Results not relevant?
- Double check your terms and concepts, consider if there are better terms or concepts you can use instead
- Ensure you don't have too many broad/general terms across your concepts, as they may be used in other non-relevant topics
- Play with your search structure, can you narrow or combine concepts to focus your search?
Idea
Add more keywords! There's no limit to how many you can add to your concepts. It's crucial to add a wide range of search terms to cover the various terminology that other researchers might use to describe your topic.