Searching Tips 2005

Research Topic Example Discuss the use of exercise in schools to reduce childhood obesity

Break your topic into keywords Selected keywords may include: 1 exercise 2 schools 3 obesity

Consider alternatives alternative words exercise or physical education alternative spellings behaviour or behavior

Plural or Singular Plural or singular school or schools If in doubt use truncation Truncation may be indicated using symbols such as ? or * eg. school*

Too many hits?  Use a more specific term and redo your search sport rather than exercise

Too many hits? Use a Boolean operator (joining word)  Combine terms with and sport and school* and obesity

Too few hits?  Use a broader term and redo your search health instead of obesity

Too few hits? Use a Boolean operator (joining word)  Combine alternative terms with or Physical education or exercise or sport

Boolean search statement obes* and (exercise or sport) and school*

Search Tips: Summary Break down topic into keywords Alternative words or spelling Plural or singular Too many or too few hits Be persistent in combining different keywords