Gale Database Search Tips

Databases Search Engines

Purchased by the library Free to anyone with computer access
Content is reviewed and recommended by
librarians
No review standards with regard to content
Information is organized Information is not organized
Information is stable Information is not stable locations and content
continually change
What are the differences between databases and search engines?
General Tips
!dvanced Searching Search by "eyword# !bstract# Document $itle# !uthor#
Publication $itle# Publisher Name# ISSN# IS%N# Sub&ect#
Person Name# Company Name# Place Name or %rand
Name
'imit (our Search 'imit to full)te*t only# items containing images# peer)
reviewed &ournals# and restrict the search according to
publication date# publication title# or inde*ed sub&ect
Search !ssist $he search input bo*es will suggest words as you type#
allowing you to select correct+preferred spellings of terms#
as well as most commonly searched terms,
Searching for Phrases -hen you want to search with and# or# or not as words
rather than %oolean operators# enclose your search terms in
.uotation mar/s, For e*ample0 1blac/ and white
photographs1,
Saving Documents Saving a document means setting it aside in your 1Saved
Documents1 folder# which allows you to print# email#
download and generate citations for all or some of your
saved items at once,
Citing 2ale Sources !utomatically generate a bibliographic citations based on a
format of your choice,
3ther $ools $here are tools for printing# emailing# downloading#
boo/mar/ing# creating a search alert# and sharing and
translating,
Use Boolean Operators
%oolean 3perator Description E*ample Notes
!ND Finds all your search terms
in the searched te*t,
children and travel 2enerally spea/ing# you do
not need to use !ND
between your search terms
as the search engine
Gale Database Search Tips
automatically loo/s for all
your search terms in
pro*imity to one another,
$he !ND operator is most
effective when doing an
!dvanced Search using the
Entire Document inde*,
34 Finds one# some or all of
your search terms in the
searched te*t,
postmortem or autopsy 34 is good to use when
searching for variant
spellings or synonymous
terms,
N3$ 5se before a term that must
not be found in the searched
te*t,
crime not murder It is generally better to enter
what you are loo/ing for#
rather than what you are
not, So rather than
searching on crime not
murder# search on a specific
aspect of crime# such as
campus crime# hate crimes#
organized crime# and so on,
Use Wildcard Characters
-ildcard Description E*ample Notes
6 $he asteris/ stands for any
number of characters#
including none,
! search on carib6 finds0
Carib# Caribs# Carribbean#
caribe# caribou
7any 2ale databases
re.uire a minimum number
of characters 8usually three9
before you can use the
asteris/ wildcard# so the
following search would not
be allowed0 ma6
: $he .uestion mar/ stands
for e*actly one character,
! search on psych::::y
finds0 psychiatry and
psychology 8but not
psychotherapy9,
; $he e*clamation point
stands for one or no
characters,
! search on colo;r finds0
color and colour
Gale Database Search Tips
Directions: 5se the 2ale database 2eneral 4eference Center 2old to perform the
following searches and answer the corresponding .uestions,
Search 1: Find peer)reviewed &ournal articles pertaining to teacher tenure,
<, Perform a %asic Search using the Keword tab,
=, Enter the following search0 teacher tenure
>, Clic/ on !cademic ?ournals in the left side bar,
@, Chec/ the f!ll te"t limiter !ND the to peer#re$iewed p!blications limiter,
$his narrowed your search down to how many results: AAAAAAAAAAAAA
Search %: Find information about the drin/ing age,
<, Perform a %asic Search using the S!b&ect G!ide Search,
=, Enter the following search0 drinking age
>, Clic/ the search icon,
$his narrowed your search down to how many results: AAAAAAAAAAAAA
Bow many subdivisions are there: AAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Search ': 4etrieve all full)te*t articles in the Cegetarian 4esource 2roupDs &ournal#
Vegetarian Journal ma/ing reference to the term 1red meat1,
<, Perform an !dvanced Search,
=, Select the (ntire Doc!)ent inde*,
>, Enter the following search0 "red meat" 8enclose the term in .uotation mar/s9
@, Chec/ the to doc!)ents with f!ll te"t limiter,
E, Enter vegetarian in the b p!blication title limiter bo* 8as you type# choices will
begin to appear clic/ on Vegetarian Journal9
F, Clic/ the Search button,
$his narrowed your search down to how many results: AAAAAAAAAAAAA
Search *: Find Spanish)language publications with Revista in the title,
<, Perform a Publication Search,
Gale Database Search Tips
=, Enter the following search0 revista
>, Enter Spanish in the +ang!age of p!blication limiter bo*,
@, Clic/ the search icon,
$his narrowed your search down to how many results: AAAAAAAAAAAAA