Search Tips
This strategy was named for 19th century mathematician George Boole, 1815-1864. The most common Boolean operators used for research are the capitalized words AND, OR, and NOT, which can be used individually or in combination with each other. The areas highlighted below with diagonal lines represent the results that a database would retrieve using the respective operator in relation to all possible results for each term.
e.g. Bowen theory AND emotion focused therapy
Searching for records containing both search terms together will retrieve fewer records. This is useful when you want to find resources that discuss all of your search terms as they relate to each other.
Combing terms with OR
e.g. Bowen theory OR differentiation
Searching for records containing at least one search term, but not necessarily both, will retrieve more records. This is useful when your search terms could be referred to by alternate names.
Combing terms with NOT
e.g. family therapy NOT grief
Searching for records that do not include a search term retrieves fewer records. This is useful when your results list includes topics that are irrelevant to your research.
Note: Use NOT with caution as it can eliminate records that contain the excluded term in passing but are still relevant to your research.
Adapted and modified from:
Center for Teaching and Learning, Scott Memorial Library, Thomas Jefferson University, "Understanding Boolean Operators (connectors) using Venn diagrams" (2015). Electronic Handouts. Paper 58. https://jdc.jefferson.edu/help/58.
Center for Teaching and Learning, Scott Memorial Library, Thomas Jefferson University, "Understanding Boolean Operators (connectors) using Venn diagrams" (2015). Electronic Handouts. Paper 58. https://jdc.jefferson.edu/help/58.
When using a multi-word search term to find records, putting those words inside quotation marks will ensure that the records retrieved include all of those words in that exact order.
For example, searching for Bowen theory without quotation marks might get you records about Bowen theory, but you're also equally likely to get records where Bowen is an author's last name and theory is in the article title, but the article doesn't actually deal with Bowen theory.
Putting quotation marks around "Bowen theory" for your search means that the records retrieved will actually have that exact phrase, making your results list far more accurate regarding that topic.
Using quotation marks in your search will result in fewer records.
For example, searching for Bowen theory without quotation marks might get you records about Bowen theory, but you're also equally likely to get records where Bowen is an author's last name and theory is in the article title, but the article doesn't actually deal with Bowen theory.
Putting quotation marks around "Bowen theory" for your search means that the records retrieved will actually have that exact phrase, making your results list far more accurate regarding that topic.
Using quotation marks in your search will result in fewer records.
Most databases you search in will try to match records to the exact search terms you use. Unlike Google, most databases will not auto correct misspellings or automatically try to find words with related endings, like theory, theorist, theorize, etc.
Instead of having to think of all possible endings of a search term, having to type them all in with Boolean OR between them, or having to do a separate search with each version of a word, you can use truncation. Truncation is when you use a symbol to replace part of a word. To replace possible endings, use an asterisk (e.g. theor*).
That asterisk will then represent all possible endings and tell the database to find records that include matching versions of that word. Using truncation in a search results in more records.
Instead of having to think of all possible endings of a search term, having to type them all in with Boolean OR between them, or having to do a separate search with each version of a word, you can use truncation. Truncation is when you use a symbol to replace part of a word. To replace possible endings, use an asterisk (e.g. theor*).
That asterisk will then represent all possible endings and tell the database to find records that include matching versions of that word. Using truncation in a search results in more records.
Using all three of these search strategies together--Boolean, quotation marks, and truncation--can provide you with a results list that is highly relevant to your research needs. Not all databases will allow this kind of combination, but many do.
For example, a search using all three strategies can look like this: "Bowen* theor*" OR "Bowen* famil* theor*" OR "Bowen* famil* system* theor*"
All three versions of the theory name are separated by Boolean OR to make sure the results list captures records that happen to refer to the theory by a slightly different name.
All three versions of the theory name are in quotation marks to ensure the records retrieved actually discuss the theory and aren't about irrelevant theoretical topics by someone who happens to be named Bowen.
Each word is truncated at the end with an asterisk to make sure the results list captures records that happen to use the plural families instead of family, the verb or plural forms of theory, etc.
These search strategies are powerful tools for making sure you get all the records you need without having to sift through many irrelevant records.
For example, a search using all three strategies can look like this: "Bowen* theor*" OR "Bowen* famil* theor*" OR "Bowen* famil* system* theor*"
All three versions of the theory name are separated by Boolean OR to make sure the results list captures records that happen to refer to the theory by a slightly different name.
All three versions of the theory name are in quotation marks to ensure the records retrieved actually discuss the theory and aren't about irrelevant theoretical topics by someone who happens to be named Bowen.
Each word is truncated at the end with an asterisk to make sure the results list captures records that happen to use the plural families instead of family, the verb or plural forms of theory, etc.
These search strategies are powerful tools for making sure you get all the records you need without having to sift through many irrelevant records.
Where to Search
Database A-Z List
The library has access to dozens of databases. Take a look at their descriptions to see which might best fit your research needs. Or start with the selected databases below.
The library has access to dozens of databases. Take a look at their descriptions to see which might best fit your research needs. Or start with the selected databases below.
- CINAHL - Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature This link opens in a new windowThe Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) is the authoritative resource for nursing and allied health professionals, students, educators and researchers for finding articles, dissertations and more. The database also includes information about consumer health, patient education, and health sciences librarianship. It uses a special controlled vocabulary which overlaps in some areas with PubMed’s Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). Complete text for some articles and testing instruments are available online.
- Natural Medicines
Now called NatMed Pro.
- PsycINFO This link opens in a new window
The American Psychological Association produces PsycINFO for coverage of the international literature of psychology and related disciplines. PsycINFO contains citations and summaries of journal articles, books and book chapters, dissertations, and technical reports.
- PubMed This link opens in a new windowWhile basic PubMed is free to all Internet users, this link adds blue "Jefferson" buttons to individual citations that connect to Jefferson journal subscriptions and document delivery services for full-text options. PubMed is the National Library of Medicine's own interface for MEDLINE and also includes PREMEDLINE (new citations which don't have their subject headings yet) and OLDMEDLINE (reaching back to the 1950s). Use it to identify journal articles on your biomedical topic.
- Scopus This link opens in a new windowScopus is Jefferson Libraries’ broadest literature database for nursing, life and health sciences. Scopus searches citations and abstracts of over 44,000 sources across a broad spectrum of sciences, medicine, social sciences and technology, journals, books, conference papers, and world patent literature. Alerts and individual profiles are available. Since 1996, Scopus has indexed the citations and references for each document, making it possible to track citations to individual documents and authors. A suite of article, journal and author metrics are available to analyze research impact.
The search box on the library's homepage, https://library.jefferson.edu/scott is a discovery service designed to help you find library materials and resources across an expansive selection of journals, e-books, print books, newspapers, presentations, digital objects, databases, and more.
Search by Journal Title
This tool is best used if there is a specific journal whose articles you want to browse, or if you want more information about the publication of the journal itself. A small list of selected journals of interest is listed below.
If you want to search many journals at once for your topic, your best option is to search in a database or through the library's homepage.
This tool is best used if there is a specific journal whose articles you want to browse, or if you want more information about the publication of the journal itself. A small list of selected journals of interest is listed below.
If you want to search many journals at once for your topic, your best option is to search in a database or through the library's homepage.