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Sociology

Search Tips

Getting Started:

When searching in any search engine, (databases, library catalog, google scholar, etc.) it is best to use keywords rather than typing the full question or topic.

For example, if your question is:

"How does socioeconomic status affect access to higher education opportunities?"

Remover the filler words from the question and focus on the main concepts. Next, brainstorm synonyms of the key words. You may type words such as these in the search bar:

higher education, college, socioeconomic, access, equity, class

Advanced Search Tips:

Using Boolean Operators (AND, OR, NOT)

Boolean operators are used to either refine or expand your search. They are placed in between your keywords to yield more specific search results.

Too Few Results
Use: AND
For example: class AND higher education
You Want Either/Or Results
Use: OR
For example: class OR higher education
Too Many Results
Use: NOT
For example: higher education NOT high school

Visual Brainstorming:

If you prefer to draw when brainstorming, you may want to draw a concept map. You can do this on paper, a white board, or a smart board. For online resources focused on concept mapping, we recommend Canva. 

Search Example

Below shows how you might begin entering keywords in the library catalog search bar. It's always best to start off simple, with just a few keywords.