HY 136: United States History since 1877: Finding Resources

When you search for resources inside a database, you have to create a search query. Your search query is made up of the search phrases you type out and the options you select (like filters for publication dates, languages, or item type).

Searching a database is a different skill than searching through Google. When using Google, you can ask questions like, "Why did Carnegie get so rich?" A database doesn't understand questions, but it can understand a search query. Instead of a whole question, you would need to break down your thought into phrases and search with those. Like: Carnegie AND Steel AND Wealth.

Databases don't all work the same, but they usually understand the same codes. Some of these codes are Boolean Operators (AND OR NOT). Some codes are punctuation marks.

• Boolean Operators
  • AND - when you put AND between words or phrases, the database will only give you resources that have both words/phrases
    • Carnegie AND Steel
    • You only get resources about Carnegie and Steel
  • OR - when you put OR between words or phrases, the database will give you any resources that has either of the words/phrases.
    • University OR College
    • You get resources referring to a University or a College (or both)
  • NOT - when you put NOT between words or phrases, the database will only give you resources that include the first term and exclude the second.
    • University NOT Harvard
    • You get resources that refer to a University. You do not get any resources that mention Harvard, even if it is only once.
• Punctuation Marks
  • " " - putting a phrase in quotation marks means you want that exact phrase to be searched.
    • "Carnegie Library" - you only get resources that fully have "Carnegie Library" exactly. Without the quotes, you might get resources that briefly mention Carnegie and briefly mention Libraries separately.
  • ? - this is a truncation or wildcard symbol. It is filler that tells the database to substitute any letter there. You usually use it for allowing plural words to be searched at the same time.
    • bibliograph?
    • You get resources that talk about a bibliography or about multiple bibliographies.

You can learn how to create your own search terms in the How to Start a Research Project guide.

Here are some examples of possible searches:

• "united states" "colonial period"
• women "colonial period" diar?
• american newspapers colonial
• "indians of north america"
• colonial “united states” letter?
• newspaper? "united states" bibliograph?
• "thomas jefferson" correspondence

You can use Google Scholar to find versions of articles that you can access for free. Google Scholar can tell you in the search results if you have access to an article through USA Libraries or if a free version of the article has been uploaded elsewhere to the internet.

Whenever you use Google Scholar, make sure to be logged into your JagMail account on that browser. Google Scholar will then understand that you have access to USA Libraries. 

In Google Scholar, you can search by author, article title, or subject. 

1. Search Google Scholar. Find an article in which you are interested.

2. Select the "Full-Text@USA" option below the article you want to read. You might need to click on the arrows to show this option. You may also see a PDF option to the side of the article's search result.

3. If you do not have the "Full-Text@USA" option, please make sure you are signed into your JagMail email on your browser. If you are signed into your JagMail, and you do not have a PDF option or a "Full-Text@USA" option, then you do not have access to that article through Google Scholar. You can still try to request access to the article through Interlibrary Loan.