Check out the library's self-paced tutorial How do I search library databases? to learn the basics of database searches.
1. How do I start finding articles about my research area and my population?
- Enter your research area and population in the research box
- Example: muslim immigrants identity
- Under Subject in the sidebar to the left of the search hits, click on More
- Check the boxes besides any subjects you're interested in
- This will also help you develop a focused research question
2. How do I focus my search to peer-reviewed articles?
- Check the Peer-Reviewed box under the search box to focus your search hits to articles from peer-reviewed journals
3. How do I find articles about my research question?
- Identify the main ideas of your topic and use those as your search words
- Each journal article, magazine article, and newspaper article has tags assigned to it, words or shorts phrases that make them searchable - you want your search words to match those tags
- Words like influences, factors, effects, challenges are usually not used as tags - don't include them as search words
- Example: What factors influence the development of gender identity among second generation Muslim immigrants?
- Search: "second generation" muslim immigrants* gender identity
- "second generation" searches for second generation as a phrase, not separate words
- immigrant* searches for immigrant and immigrants
4. How do I know my search words match the tags assigned to articles about my research question?
- As you scroll through the search hits, look at the Subjects (tags) assigned to the relevant articles you find, and see if they match your search words:
- Click on Preview under the Article Title in the list of search hits
- Look at the Subjects with which the article has been tagged - revise your search words to match those subjects
- Subjects (tags) also help you identify the specific issues around your topic and population so that you can give it direction and develop it into a focused research question