Databases contains articles with information that will guide you to the answers you seek. Instead of searching with questions on databases, you have to search for information using KEYWORDS.
When extracting KEYWORDS from your assignment or essay, you need to look at the key concepts that encapsulate your assignment.
Example:
s it true that economic growth makes the rich richer and the poor poorer?
KEYWORDS:
Note: The concepts that you are looking for are not always expressed in the
language of the assignment or question, but often through other related terms.
See the Guide for step-by-step instructions.
AND – returns results with both keywords. AND usually limits the search results
OR – returns results with one or the other keyword.It broadens your results by connecting two or more synonyms.
NOT – returns results excluding specific keywords
Use the Boolean Machine for visualizing the effects of Boolean operators .
More tips:
Quotation Marks “ ” – keep keywords together, for exact phrase searching
Brackets ( ) – keep concepts together, used for synonyms
Example:
("green energy" OR "sustainable energy" OR "renewable energy") AND (logistics OR "supply chain")
Use the "Search strategy builder" to help you create a search string, using Boolean logic. You can cut and paste the results into most databases’ search boxes.
Building blocks Search strategy
Identify keywords, write next to each other
Think of synonyms or alternatives for these words
Write these words under the corresponding keywords in blocks
Example
Find articles about the tax treatment and regulations of cryptocurrencies
Tax cryptocurrency Regulation
levy virtual currency rules
tariff bitcoin policy
fee digital currency act
rate peercoin
Combine rows with AND and columns with OR operators.
Search string: (tax OR levy OR tariff OR fee OR rate) AND (cryptocurrency OR "virtual currency" OR bitcoin OR "digital currency" OR peercoin) AND (regulation OR rules OR policy OR act)
Quick-and-easy” search method
Steps:
1. What would be the title of your search?
2. Identify the main keywords
3. Which keyword is most vital (and which next)?
4. think about some proper search terms (other than those words jotted down already, synonyms, related terms, scientific names etc.)
5. Compose a simple query using a few important terms linked by ‘AND’ or ‘OR’ operators
Use quotation marks “…” for adjacent words or two or more words that make up a single concept (e.g. “attention deficit disorder”). Group synonyms and related terms together in brackets
5. The search engine or database will give lists of records. Reduce the number of records displayed and increase relevancy by restricting them according to publication date, etc.
My example:
The impact of genetically modified foods on our lives
Search terms: genetically modified food, GM food, transgenic food, food safety, food risks, allergic reactions, health
Search string: (“genetically modified food” OR “GM food” OR “transgenic food") AND ("food safety"OR "food risks" OR "allergic reactions"OR health)
The World Trade Organisation at 30: successes and failures.
Suggested Keywords:
("World Trade Organisation" OR "World Trade Organization" OR WTO) AND (success OR failure)
("World Trade Organisation" OR "World Trade Organization" OR WTO) AND challenges
("World Trade Organisation" OR "World Trade Organization" OR WTO) AND evaluation
Databases to use:
EconLit
Threats to global trade: a critical evaluation.
Suggested Keywords:
("global trade" OR "international trade") AND (threats OR challenges)
"free trade" AND (threats OR challenges"
(globalization OR globalisation) AND (threats OR challenges)
Databases to use:
EconLit
Empowering women in trade: progress and challenges in Africa.
Suggested Keywords:
women AND trade AND africa
women AND commerce AND africa
women AND economic AND empowerment AND africa
Databases to use:
EconLit
The end of globalisation: fact or rhetoric?
Suggested Keywords:
(globalisation OR globalization OR "global economy") AND collapse
Databases to use:
EconLit
Aid for trade: successes and failures.
Suggested Keywords:
"aid for trade"
"aid trade" AND (impact OR effects OR evaluation)
Databases to use:
EconLit
The merits and shortcomings of the inflation rate as a measure of economic well-being: a critical discussion.
Suggested Keywords:
("inflation rate" OR "inflation targeting") AND well-being
("inflation rate" OR "inflation targeting") AND ("social effects" OR "social impacts")
Databases to use:
EconLit
Exchange rate fluctuations and multinational corporations in Africa: opportunities and challenges.
Suggested Keywords:
"exchange rate" AND multinational corporations AND africa
"exchange rate" AND international companies AND africa
"exchange rate" AND "foreign direct investment" AND africa
currency AND multinational corporations AND africa
currency AND international companies AND africa
currency" AND "foreign direct investment" AND africa
Databases to use:
EconLit
The European Union, and the introduction of the Euro: Discuss.
Suggested Keywords:
"european union" AND euro
"common currency" europe
supranational AND "common currency"
brexit
Databases to use:
EconLit
Technological innovation and corporate financial performance: A critical review
Suggested Keywords:
"technological innovation" AND "financial performance"
"information technology innovation" AND "financial performance"
Databases to use:
EconLit
