Database Search Strategies and Tutorials
Databases (Closed Web Sources)
Library databases are closed web (subscription based) searchable platforms that house information from a wide variety of sources. Closed means that these are only accessible to those with a subscription. They can contain encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, videos, images, primary sources, academic journal articles, government documents, literary criticism, and more. Some databases are general, while others are subject-specific. No matter what type of database is being used, all can be searched following the below basic strategies.
Avoid Natural Language
- Stick to keywords and phrases - don't write out questions in full unless using an AI assistant or natural language search.
Use Quotation Marks Around Phrases
- This ensures your search results will include the phrase, not the individual words found separately in the document.
Use the Advanced Search
- It will be located in different places depending on the database, but it will help refine and improve your search.
Use Filters Provided by the Database to Narrow/Focus Your Results
- Filters are usually found on the left or right hand side of your search results.
- Filter by source type, date of publication, reading level, subject, publication, and more
Use Boolean Operators
- OR - Gives you more
- Useful for synonyms
- This operator tells the database to return any of these words in a source.
- This is good for expanding your search results in order to find all related terms/concepts. (e.g. World War I, WWI, The Great War)
- AND - Gives you less
- This operator tells the database to return all of these words in a source.
- This is good for narrowing your search results.
- NOT - Completely restricts
- This operator tells the database to eliminate words completely from your search results.
- This is good for removing irrelevant words. (e.g. You are researching mercury (the element), but getting information on Freddy Mercury (of Queen). Search: mercury NOT Freddy)
Boolean Operators Explained:
Book Reviews from JSTOR
A book review in JSTOR reveals the author's argument and places that argument in the context of the larger academic discussion of the topic. Finding book reviews is most helpful when developing a research question or writing a historiography. Once you know what historians have been arguing, you can join the conversation with your own argument.
Do the following steps:
- Find the scholars and their book titles that discuss your topic:
- Read the Wikipedia article on your topic and find scholars' names and books (use Ctrl+F). Read through the sources at the bottom. What books are cited the most?
- Read the works cited or discussion of the literature section of an encyclopedia article on your topic (use GALE databases and/or the Oxford Research Encyclopedias)
- Use Google AI/Gemini to ask for the major historians or books related to your topic (with teacher permission).
- Search your topic in JSTOR, and limit your search to “Reviews.”
- Search your scholar's name or the title of the book in JSTOR:
- Use the advanced search.
- Put quotation marks around your search phrase (either the title or author name).
- Click the box next to “Reviews.”
- Select a book review from the search results. Keep in mind:
- You will see the word “Review” directly underneath “Journal Article” in the list of search results.
- The title(s) of the book(s) reviewed will appear under the word “Review.”
- Under the book title(s), you will see “Reviewed by” followed by the name of the person who wrote the book reviews. Don’t confuse the reviewer for the author of the book being reviewed.
- Ask yourself the following when reading the reviews:
- What is the scholar's argument?
- What is the larger debate?
- Does this scholar agree or disagree with other scholars?
- Are there other scholars' books I should get reviews of now?