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Research Strategies

An introduction for CWU students new to research at the University level.

Hip tips for Better Research

Hip tips for better research (image advice described in text below)

Hip Tips for Better Research (text version)

Hip Tips for Better Research

Add synonyms to your search terms

For example:

  • Mustache
  • Facial hair
  • Stubble handlebar
  • Soup strainer
  • Stache

Use quotes to search for an exact phrase

  • For example: I liked that band “before it was cool.”

Use Boolean operators to combine or exclude terms

For example:

  • Hipster AND mustache
  • Hipster NOT mustache
  • Hipster OR mustache

Subject Headings may be more accurate than keywords

For example:

  • Keyword: bae
  • Subject Heading: man-woman relationships

Use Wildcards to replace single letters

For example:

  • Y?pster=Yipster or Yupster

Truncation includes multiple word endings

For example:

  • Hip*= hip, hippo, hippie, hipster, etc.

Use Parentheses to group terms together

For example:

  • (mustache OR “facial hair” OR beard) AND hipster

Use filters to narrow your results

  • Filter results be resource type, date, topic, and more

Use pinning through OneSearch to save results your Favorites for later

Searching Databases videos