Before entering keywords in the search box, it is useful to write down several words that best describe your research topic. Use a thesaurus if necessary to generate more words.
Descriptive words can then be connected by using words such as AND and OR to form meaningful search statements.
AND Narrows a search by joining keywords so to find articles and other documents that contain both of the keywords (e.g. paramedics AND community health).
OR Broadens a search. Will find articles that contain at least one of these keywords (e.g. emergency medical technicians OR paramedics).
NOT Narrows a search by excluding a term. NOT connector will find articles that contain the first keyword but not the second keyword (e.g. Canadian NOT Amercian).
1) Use simple keywords when searching the Library databases:
"domestic violence"
AND
"emergency medical services"
see " Example: Developing Keywords and Constructing a Search" below for more information.
2) Use the subject terms suggested by the databases you are searching for a more accurate and comprehensive search.
3) Click on the "Search for Article" link in any database to see if the article is available full text in another database or in hard copy in the Library.
Quotation marks are used to search keywords that are a complete phrase (e.g. "prehospital care").
Keywords within parentheses will be searched as a single unit within the search statement e.g. ("emergency medical technicians" OR paramedics) AND "community health"
When a keyword is truncated, the ending of the word is removed and replaced with a truncation symbol, usually an asterisk (*). A truncated keyword search will find articles with all instances of the root word and the root word combined with any possible ending (for example, paramed* - this will find paramedic or paramedics or paramedicine or paramedical)
Is there a role for paramedics in community based palliative care?
Step 2: Identify keywords for your topic.
|
Main Concept 1 |
Concept 2 |
Concept 3 |
|
paramedic |
palliative care |
community care |
Step 3: Find synonyms
|
Main Concept 1 |
Concept 2 |
Concept 3 |
|
paramed* |
palliative care |
community care |
|
emergency medical technicians |
end of life care |
community paramedicine |
|
emergency medical care |
|
community health |
Step 4: Build a search
|
Main Concept 1 |
Concept 2 |
Concept 3 |
(paramed* OR "emergency medical technicians" OR "emergency medical care") AND ("palliative care" OR "end of life care") AND ("community care" OR "community paramedicine" OR "community health")
Paramedic by Centennial College Libraries is licensed under a CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 license unless otherwise stated.
