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Library Guide for Accounting: Search Tips

About Search Tips

Common search tips can help you quickly retrieve information and improve your efficiency in finding resources you need in LRC's databases. 

Exact Phrase


Use “ ” searching for a phrase (two or more words together) in the order you put them.

Example: “budget surplus”.
Search results will contain words in the specific order you have entered.

Wildcard * root extension



Use asterisk (*) to find a group of words with the same part

E.g. econom* will find words such as economy, economics, economical, economist, etc.

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How to Find Library Resources Using Primo VE

Video Tutorial

 

More details about Primo VE

Identifying Keywords

To create a search query that tools like  Primo VE, JSTOR, EBSCO, or IEEExplore can understand, you will need to use keywords.

Many of us are used to searching using what’s called "natural language" to find what we’re looking for on places like Baidu, Bing, or Amazon. While some research tools have started adding natural language or semantic search capabilities, many have not.

Keywords will help you:

  • Find relevant information quickly from a broad range of sources
  • Modify or adjust your inquiry as you learn more about your topic and status of the scholarly conversation

Here is an example of identifying keywords in a research question from Globalisation and Development:

The impact of globalization on income distribution in emerging economies?

What are the key components that you see here? Look for nouns, unique descriptors, and geographic or demographic distinctions to narrow in on results that will help answer the question. Writing out the question and highlighting the keywords you see is also a great idea. Like this:

The impact of globalization on income distribution in emerging economies?

The keywords found in this question are:

  • globalization
  • income distribution
  • emerging economy

 

Boolean Operators

Use Boolean operators (AND) to narrow your search.

Search examples

Results Effect

“income distribution” AND globalization

Contain both of the words Narrow search

 

Use Boolean operators (OR) to broaden your search.

Search examples

Results Effect

“income distribution" OR globalization       

Contain either of the words       Broaden search

Use Boolean operators (NOT) to narrow your search.

Search examples

Results Effect

“income distribution" NOT globalization  

Exclude“globalization”from result list   Narrow search