Skip to main content SC4 Library Logo

Business Law 153 - Landrum

Database Access Off Campus

Off campus? To search the SC4 Library databases you will be prompted to enter your Portal Username and Password. Please contact the library if you are having trouble.

Business Law Databases

Advanced Search Strategies for our Databases

Boolean Operators

One of the easiest ways to refine your search is to use the Boolean operators, and everyone has used them, even if accidently. 

The chart below explains differences between the Boolean operators.

 

Boolean operator

Function

Example

AND

· Narrows search result

· Finds articles/websites with both terms in them. Terms may not necessarily be next to each other

Children AND Divorce (retrieves articles with both terms)

OR

· Broadens search result

· Use to combine similar terms. One or the other search term must appear in the article/website

· Put parentheses around your ORs

"Moral Development" OR "Moral Reasoning" (retrieves articles with either term)

NOT

· Narrows search result

· Use to eliminate terms from search

"Play Therapy" NOT Sandplay (eliminates articles that have the word Sandplay in them)

 

Phrase or Full Name searching

Quotation marks keeps the words of a phrase together.

"Port Huron"

"Grumpy Cat"

"Jerry Lewis"

 

Truncation

Most databases use the asterisk * to truncate words. For example, child* will search for the words child or child’s or children or childlike. 

 

Selecting Scholarly/Academic/Peer-Reviewed Articles

Look for the following:

  • An Abstract is at the beginning of the article. This is a summary of the researchers/authors' study methods, arguments, conclusions, and more.
  • Author(s) - Scholarly articles often have two or more authors. The authors' credentials, affiliations, and other information is usually listed on first page of the article, under the title or sometimes on the last page of article.
  • Headings/Sections in the article include:
    • Introduction -- Usually one paragraph, sometimes more, describing the subject of the article
    • Methodology --  Provides information about how data was collected, what data was gathered, and who participated in the study
    • Discussion/Results -- Offers information about the results of the study and what was learned
    • Conclusion -- Summarizes the findings of the research/study and any recommendations or limitations of the study
    • References/Bibliography -- Detailed list of references used in the research is generally found at the end of the article
  • Technical/Specialized Language - Scholarly articles are generally written in formal, technical language.
  • Charts, Graphs, Diagrams, etc. - Scholarly articles are often communicating results of studies and research and so will include charts, graphs, diagrams, and other visual aids.
  • Length - Scholarly articles are usually relatively long; often they are four pages or more.
Print Page