Finding Sources - ENG 3560 - Writing Workshop - Research Guides at Wright State University

Topic Inspiration and Background Information

Points of View Reference Source
Use for identifying current issues and locating background information.
Organized by topic this resource provides an issue overview, background facts, point and counterpoint representing different points of view.

Building a Search Strategy - Handout
Use this handout to help you develop a research question, identify potential keywords and synonyms, and determine which boolean operators to use in order to narrow or broaden your search.

Find Articles: Best Bets

QuickSearch
QuickSearch helps you to find books, journal articles and other resources available through Wright State and OhioLINK. QuickSearch displays results from hundreds of databases, state-wide library inventories, and publishers' collections. Sign-in with your WSU account to get access to digital material.

Database Search Strategies

Database Limiters in QuickSearch

Database Search Strategies: YouTube Playlist
This YouTube playlist includes videos on searching the University Libraries databases.

Videos:
Introduction to QuickSearch
Brief Look at QuickSearch Results
Effective Search Strategies: Database Limiters
Effective Search Strategies: Use Subject Terms
Saving Sources in QuickSearch
Citing Your Sources with QuickSearch
Tips for Database Searching
This guide includes tips, tricks, and techniques for conducting successful database searches.

Boolean Operators

Use Boolean Operators as a way to narrow or broaden your search:

AND: use to combine different concepts or keywords; each result will contain all search terms

Example: race AND libraries

OR: use to connect similar concepts or keywords; each result will contain at least one of the search terms

Example: medicine OR health

NOT: use to exclude words or concepts; tells the database to ignore concepts implied by your search

Example: technology NOT database

Parentheses ( ): place around related terms to search for more than one group of keywords

Example: (teaching OR education) AND race

Asterisk *: use at the end of a keyword to search words that start with the same letters

Example: education AND librar*

Questions? Ask Your Librarian!

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Google Scholar

Google Scholar works even better when you have it connected to your library. Set up your library link and get results that are available through the University Libraries.