Search Tips & Tools

Use these tips and tools to increase your chances of finding relevant information.

Phrase searching

To search for a key phrase, use quotations marks.

Example:  "attention deficit"
 

Truncation

To search for a word's alternative endings, include an asterisk directly after the root of the word. 

Note: the asterisk technique can vary from database to database. If you find it's not working, use a database's Help section to look for its truncation symbol.

Example: environment* (finds environment, environments, environmental, environmentalist, environmentalism, etc.)
 

Synonym searching with "OR" and parentheses

Use parentheses and the word OR to group synonyms together.

Example: (teenagers OR adolescents)
 

Searching multiple concepts with "AND"

Connect your keywords and phrases using the capital AND.

Example: (teenagers OR adolescents) AND environment* AND ("attention deficit" OR ADHD)

Synonym tools

• Visuwords shows how words are related to each other in visual, mind-map style.
• Thesaurus.com defines a search term and offers lots (a plethora, an abundance, an extravagance, a plenitude...) of synonyms!
• Vocabulary.com defines words in plain English and provides lots of examples of the word in a sentence. It anticipates potential confusion about the word and clears it up.
   

Need some help?

Email [email protected], text (802-357-5317), call (802-387-1648), or visit the Library with any questions.