Service Learning
What's a Search Plan?
Use a Search Plan to approach your research strategically.
A search plan has three parts that work together to help you find your sources.
Where will you look for information?
Search tools may be open web, like Google, or "deep web" or "hidden web", like Library databases.
Some standard search tools for any topic or subject include:
- Search Everything The Library's most powerful search tool lets you search a majority of all available search tools at once.
- ProQuest Central This link opens in a new window Serves as the central resource for researchers at all levels. Covering more than 160 subjects areas, ProQuest Central is the largest aggregated database of periodical content. This award-winning online reference resource features a highly-respected, diversified mix of content including scholarly journals, trade publications, magazines, books, newspapers, reports and videos. *This is a Traveler resource. The Traveler Statewide Resource project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
This link opens in a new window
- Gale Power Search This link opens in a new window Cross-search the content of multiple Gale databases (including the content of Gale eBook titles) at one time through a streamlined, common user interface. Filter by source type easily using tabs to limit to Academic Journals, News, Images, Videos and more.
- Credo Reference This link opens in a new window Covers every major subject, from art to medicine, psychology to history, and technology to literature. The award-winning titles in Credo Reference include general and subject encyclopedias, dictionaries, biographies, bibliographies, chronologies, handbooks, atlases, and more. Credo's collections are continuously updated to reflect the most relevant, up-to-date content.
How will you look for information? What techniques or hacks will you use in the tools you choose?
Explore these helpful strategies.
Keywords 
The words you choose matter; select search terms with care. Avoid putting your search in the form of a question.
"Exact phrase"
Put 2 or more words inside quotation marks to turn them into a single word; so "black cat" looks for results with these 2 words as a phrase. Without the quotation marks, the tool will look for the words black and cat anywhere in the results.
Suggestions
Search tools usually make suggestions for keywords and search terms as you type in the search box - Use them!
3 Magic Words
- AND - combine keywords or search terms (eagles AND bears); results must have both words
- OR - include alternatives for keywords or search terms (eagles OR bears); results will have one word or the other, maybe both
- NOT - eliminates keywords or search terms (eagles NOT bears); results will exclude results that contain the keyword after NOT
Filters or Limiters
Overwhelmed by search results? Limit by picking filters such as date or source type (academic journal, ebook, etc.).
What will you do as you search and start finding results?
You need to be:
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Flexible - Be willing to change directions based on what you find, or don't find. This could mean changing your strategies, your search terms, and possibly your working thesis or even your topic.
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Persistent - Try, and then try again. Maybe switch up your strategies or change your search tool. Consider your keywords or search terms - remember, the words you choose matter and they can make or break a search.
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Willing to Ask for HELP - Freshman and sophomores in college aren't expected to know how to do college-level research. You are beginners who are learning quickly. Know when to ask for help. The Library and your instructor are great resources. Use them!
Tools
Databases, or research databases, is the term librarians use for their search tools.
These tools:
contain what is considered to be valuable content you might otherwise have to pay to use;
require you to log on to access them, or be on campus; and
can be challenging or confusing to use.
Libraries can have so many search tools (databases), it can be hard to know where to start. Try some of of these Librarian Favorites.
Power Search Tools
Use these to find all types of source, including research starters (explainers), scholarly/academic sources and popular sources, such as news, magazines, books, and more.
- Search EverythingThe Library's most powerful search tool lets you search a majority of all available search tools at once.
- Gale Power Search This link opens in a new windowA great choice for beginning college researchers, this search tool is easy to use and searches all of the Gale tools at once.
- ProQuest Central This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
This user-friendly and powerful tool searches all ProQuest content at once, good scholarly sources that "Search Everything" might miss.
Scholarly / Academic Sources
Books and book chapters published by university presses are often overlooked scholarly sources. Try searching the ebook collections for more.
Librarian Favorite: Oxford University Press publishes scholarly topic explainers in their series, A Very Short Introduction.
- Very Short Introductions This link opens in a new window
Provides subject and topic introductions written by authors who are experts in their field.
Most people think of journal articles when they look for scholarly sources. To find these, use any Power Search Tool, or try one of these specialty tools.
- Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new windowThis scholarly collection offers information in nearly every area of academic study.
- Wiley Online Library This link opens in a new windowSearch a broad, multidisciplinary, full-text database of journals and books published by John Wiley & Sons.
- JSTOR Arts & Sciences I & V This link opens in a new windowProvides access to the highest-quality academic journals, books, and primary sources in art and art history, classical studies, history, language and literature, music, philosophy, and political science.
Power Search Tools:
- ProQuest Central This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Serves as the central resource for researchers at all levels. - Gale Power Search This link opens in a new windowCross-search the content of multiple Gale databases.
- Search EverythingThe library's power search.
Need help using scholarly sources? Try these explainers.
- Is My Source Scholarly?
This flowchart will help you determine if your source is scholarly. - Video: How to Read Scholarly Materials (from Credo's Instruct)
This 3:49 video will review
steps you can take to understand and read scholarly sources. Includes transcript.
Sociology Topics
- Sociology Database This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Scholarly articles covering sociology and social work.
Health & Medical Topics
- Health & Wellness (Gale) This link opens in a new windowMagazines, journals, statistics, pamphlets, and more.
- Consumer Health Database This link opens in a new window
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Sources aimed at the general reader. - CINAHL Complete This link opens in a new windowThe #1 scholarly search tool practicing medicine as a nurse. Includes journals, care sheets, and more.
Psychology Topics
- Psychology Database This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Full-text psychology articles from scholarly and trade journals. - PsycARTICLES This link opens in a new windowFull text peer-reviewed articles published by the American Psychological Association (APA) and its affiliated journals.
History
- U.S. History (Gale in Context) This link opens in a new windowA complete overview of our nation's past. Can be searched simultaneously with World History.
- World History (Gale in Context) This link opens in a new windowAn overview of world history. Can be searched simultaneously with U.S. History.
Library Search Tools A-Z
Complete list of all available library search tools and research databases.
- Research Databases A-ZAll the search tools available through NWACC Library.
Google Scholar
You may be blocked by paywalls when using Google Scholar. Contact the library for help getting the article at no cost to you.