When searching for information, there are a number of techniques to use that will help refine your search results. You can use these strategies when looking for information from the library databases or from a search engine such as Google.
Put quotation marks " " around phrases to search the term as a phrase. Otherwise the database or Google may separate the words.
"human trafficking" "child labor" "sex roles" "equal pay"
Refine your search results using Boolean operators. The three most common Boolean operators are AND, OR, and NOT, but there are others available. The operators AND and NOT will narrow your search and OR will usually increase your search results.
"charter schools" AND segregation
“sex differences” AND “verbal ability”
depression AND "college students"
"human trafficking" AND Michigan
"post traumatic stress disorder" OR PTSD
"child soldiers" OR "children in the military"
"child labor" OR sweatshops
graffiti NOT "American Graffiti"
"civil rights" AND (lesbian OR gay OR homosexual* OR transsexual* OR transgender OR bisexual)
HINT: Put your OR terms in parenthesis ()
