JSTOR Research Tips

• Place words in quotation marks to search for specific phrase

• Use Boolean Operators ( and, or, not)

• Use NEAR 5/10/25 operator to search for words near ex. cat NEAR 5 dog

Searching JSTOR

EBSCO Search Tips

• Use Boolean Operators to expand or narrow terms

  • And - this will search all terms

  • Or - each result will contain at lease on search term

  • Not - results do not contain on of the search terms

• Use Parenthesis and Boolean Search terms to search multiple terms ex. (mouse or rat) and trap

• Use Double quotes around your search terms to search a specific phrase or title

• Use ? as a wildcard to replace a letter for all terms ex. ne?t = neat, nest, next

• Use # when alternate spelling may occur ex. colo#r = color, colour

• Use * to with truncated word to find all forms or to replace a word ex. comput* = computer, computing or midsummer's *dream

Gale Search Tips

• Use multiple search terms to get best results

• Use Boolean Operators to expand or narrow terms

  • And - this will search all terms

  • Or - each result will contain at lease on search term

  • Not - results do not contain on of the search terms

• Use database and get Interlibrary loans from other colleges

• Interlibrary Loan Process - Send title and author to Ms. Phillips or take title and author to FVCC library (if you want to sign up for a community card).

• Only Open Access articles can be seen.

• Use Keywords instead of full sentences

• Use quotes to search for exact match

• Add year to search phrase to get articles published in that year.

• Use the side bar control to adjust your search results

• Use Boolean operators

  • And

  • Not

  • Or

• • 100's Philosophy

  • The Oxford companion to philosophy 103 Oxf

  • Masterpieces of world philosophy 100 Mas

• 200's Religion

• 300's Social Science

  • International encyclopedia of the social sciences 300.3 Int

• 400 Language

  • Oxford English Dictionary 423 Oxf

• 500 Science

• 600 Applied Science

• 700 Arts/ Sports

• 800 Literature

  • Criticism - search by title of work.

• 900 History

Google searching Tips

•     Use quotes to search all words - "puppy dog sweater"

•     Use a hyphen to exclude words - Mustang

•     Use a colon to search for specific sites - Sidney Crosby:nhl.com

•     Find page that links to another page - link:nytimes.com

•     Use an asterisk as a place holder - come * right now * me

•     Find sites that are similar - related:amazon.com

•     Use "OR" to search multiple keywords

FVCC or Imagine If Library

• Go to www.worldcat.org

• Search for journal or book you are looking for.

• Print sheet with information from world cat

• FVVC will allow you to get interlibrary loans if you sign up for a card.

• Send to Ms. Phillips and she can see if she can get it. aarica.phillips@sd5.k12.mt.us

Imagine If Library

• Interlibrary loans through public library  (print worldcat page with title and ISBN #)

• Net Library (electronic books, need user account)

• E-books and Audio Books for check out through Montana State Library Overdrive

• Databases