Start to build a search strategy by determining search terms. Search terms or keywords can be groups, sites, events, theories, concepts, ideas, periods, methods etc. Use terms that describe the concepts in the research question and their synonyms. You can consult a reference text, such as an encyclopedia, for additional background information and to identify additional terms.
For example, if you are interested in researching ideas around agriculture, in addition to "agriculture" some additional key words might be "agricultural practices", "food production", or farming.
You may have to test a few terms to see which terms retrieve the most relevant results. You can look at the subjects or keywords listed in the "details" section of your results for additional terms to try.
AND includes both terms
Example: agriculture AND "animal husbandry"
OR includes either term
Example: agriculture OR "food production"
NOT excludes term*
Example: agriculture NOT "animal husbandry"
*Note that NOT may exclude results with the term even if a result contains a search term you want included
Using database syntax can help you refine your search. For example using "double quotations" will narrow searches by searching only for that specific phrase rather than each individual term. Using truncation (*) can expand your search by expanding the scope of a single term. Note the wildcard (?) symbol doesn't work in Search@UW.
| Symbol | Use | Function | Example |
| "..." | Double quotation marks | Searches exact phrase | "agricultural practices", "food production", "animal husbandry" |
| * | truncation | Adds none or more characters | farm* searches farm, farms, farmer, farmers, farming, etc |
Different database platforms (i.e. EBSCO, ProQuest) may use different syntax. Review a more complete list of database syntax.
A search strategy (or search string) are the keywords, terms, and syntax used in your search. A typical search strategy includes 2-4 concepts, but may include more keywords. Example:
(agriculture OR farming) AND maya* AND lowlands