Searching Databases

Database Speak

Database searching generalities Literal

If you type in a phrase it will search for the phrase

Boolean operators/connectors AND - narrows OR - broadens

Truncation/wildcard Allows you to easily search for variant word

endings• * in the UW Libraries Catalog

Boolean: AND

japan AND crime

japan

crime

Boolean: OR

crime OR murder

crime

murder

Boolean: combining

(crime OR murder) AND japan

crime

murder

japan

Truncation/wildcard Searches for variant word endings such as

plural. crim* finds:

• crime• crimes• criminal• criminals• crimson

In other words the truncation symbol acts as an OR

• crime OR crimes OR criminal OR criminals

Creating Search Statements

Developing a Search StatementTOPIC

Key Concepts

Synonyms

Related terms:PeoplePlacesEventsDatesOrganizations

Developing a Search StatementTOPIC: Coverage of World War II in Japanese education

Key Concepts

Synonyms

Related terms:As you do your preliminary research you’ll come up with these terms. One good place to look is in a specialized encyclopedia.

ExampleCoverage of World War II in Japanese education

World War II Japan education

Pacific warworld war 1939-1945

Japanese schoolstextbookscurriculum

Ienaga sosho, Ienaga Saburo, Nanjing massacre, Ministry of Education

Search statements Query typed into a database:

Keywords/key phrases/key concepts linked by Boolean connectors• (textbook* OR education) AND (world war ii

OR pacific war) AND japan*• japan* AND (curricul* OR school*) AND

war• ienaga saburo• ienaga AND textbook*