Skip to Main Content

General Search Strategies

Looking to start your research project? Here's how to get started searching.

Welcome

General Search Strategies

This guide offers suggestions for beginning the research process, starting with choosing a relevant set of search terms.

While the requirements of every research project will demand a unique set of search terms, there are some standard guidelines for using search terms and keywords in a database. The process begins with selecting appropriate terms to use during the search, making adjustments to those terms as needed to obtain the types of sources your project requires. Navigate through this guide to learn how to adjust your search strategies within a database, in order to get the best results.