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WRT 101S - Desert Vista -Careers - Tedlock: Search Strategy Using Pima's Databases

Special Search Strategy

Truncation: *

  • The asterisk * is a common symbol used to represent any number of letters at the ends of words

  • Helps find singulars, plurals, and variant endings of words

  • Example: docu* finds documents, document, documentation, documented

Limiters:

  • Most databases let you limit search results. Some limiters include:

    • Language  

    • Publication type..such as Peer-Reviewed or Scholarly Journals.

    • Date of Publication

Phrases: " "

  • Enclose phrases in quotation marks when searching the Web or most databases. 

  • From Ebsco Help: "When your search string includes phrases, the default search order is that phrases are searched in the order in which they are typed in and with the words right next to each other. It is recommended that phrases be enclosed in quotations marks when included in searches. Phrase searching in individual databases may vary." 

  • Example: "underpaid employment"

  • Example: "child labor"