University Writing Program (UWP)

(Formerly Expository Writing.) An introduction to research skills for UWP courses.

Tips and Tricks

1. Use truncation or stemming to find words with varying endings:

theat* finds:
theater, theatre, theatrical

Characters used vary by database; the most common are *, #, !, or ?. Look for "Help" to find which character to use.

2. Use wildcards to find words that vary by a single letter:

wom?n finds:
woman, women

Look for "Help" to find which character to use.

What Do You Need?

Combining Search Words

Use "AND" to narrow your search (usually by combining terms representing different concepts).

Use "OR" to broaden your search (usually by combining synonyms or terms related to the same concept).  

EXAMPLE:
What are effective methods for teaching reading to students with ADHD?

(attention deficit disorders OR attention deficit hyperactivity disorder OR ADHD)
AND
(teaching methods OR classroom techniques)
AND
reading instruction

Too see this technique in action, watch the below video by emilyatchemlib: