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A keyword is a term that expresses the main idea of a concept. You use keywords every time you search in Google. Keywords can also be called search terms.When you search in the library, you will be most effective when you use multiple keywords. Databases can be picky. To come up with keywords, identify synonyms to your concept, and think about what words might be used in the library's resources.
For guidance on selecting the right keywords for your search, watch our short video on creating keywords below.
OneSearch is the library’s main search interface, where you can find almost all the resources the library has to offer. It searches across most of the library's resources: books, media, articles and journals, digital primary sources and special collections, and more. For this reason, we will start our searches there!
Watch the library's "Welcome to OneSearch" video to learn a little bit more about how to navigate the library’s search engine.
Right underneath OneSearch’s big search box is the option for an Advanced Search. Advanced Search lets you use create a more specialized search by specifying how OneSearch should look for your search terms, the types of materials you’d like to find, or a publication date.
There are many different ways you can use the OneSearch’s Advanced Search to personalize your results. Just a few of the ways are called out in the image below. Learn more about advanced searching techniques on the library’s guide to advanced searching.The best way to learn how to use advanced search is to try it out! Try some searches in OneSearch, and play with keywords, material types, publication dates, and more.
The library subscribes to a number of subject databases, which can provide a more focused search than OneSearch. You can use these databases to look at specific types of information, like historical newspapers or images, or look exclusively at research in a specific discipline, like art history.
Take a look at the library's A-Z list of databases to find a subject-specific database that you might use for your research.
Having trouble making a decision? Watch our video, "Choosing a Database" below!