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Stony Brook University

Business

A guide to databases and resources to support business research

Starting your research - Picking your topic

Search Strategies

Search Tricks

AND between words searches for BOTH words on document. 

EX: immigration and employment 

Returns results with both words. Fewer, but better, results.

QUOTATION MARKS around a phrase searches for that exact phrase

EX: “genetic engineering” "climate change"  "no child left behind"

Returns results with that exact phrase.  

ASTERISK (*) search looks for all the various words using the same root.

EX: comput* results in articles that have the words compute, computer, computing, etc. 

       educat* will search for educate, education, educator, educators, etc.

OR between words searches for at least one of the words. 

EX: fat OR obesity

Returns results with either word. Produces more results.   

(Parentheses) group multiple search terms together.

EX: debt and (teenagers or adolescents) 

Returns results for debt and teenagers and for debt and adolescents.

Boolean Operators

How to use AND, OR, NOT and parentheses to create more powerful searches and save yourself some time.

Keyword Vs. Subject Heading Searching