Tips
Combination searching:
- Combine keyword and subject searching or multiple subjects.
- Combine a previous searches or add new terms to a previous search.
Database Limiters:
- Use the limiters listed under Add filters to refine your search.
- Eliminate issues with variant spelling.
- What are your paper requirements? Set relevant limits, such as Date, Scholarly Peer-Reviewed articles, and other limiters to refine your search.
Search Examples
Use a variety of relevant databases and search expressions, as suggested example search strategies below. Paste these into the suggested database(s), then set limits, such as date and peer-reviewed articles, to match paper requirements.
- child* AND development AND trauma
(in SocINDEX with Full Text) - child* AND development AND trauma
(in Sociological Collection) - (DE "Trauma" OR DE "Post Traumatic Stress") AND child* and development
(subject and keyword search; in SocINDEX with Full Text, APA PsycArticles, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, APA PsycInfo, Sociological Collection) - DE "AT-risk youth"
(subject search in SocINDEX with Full Text) - DE "AT-risk youth" and (economics or poverty)
(subject and keyword search; in SocINDEX with Full Text) - DE “AT-risk youth” and effective programs
(in SocINDEX with Full Text) - "at-risk youth" AND (program or club) AND (business or Finance)
(phrase and keyword search; in SocINDEX with Full Text, Academic Search Complete; Political Science Complete; Social Work Abstracts) - "children with disabilities" AND Africa (
keyword search in SocINDEX with Full Text, Family Studies Abstracts, Sociological Collection, and Social Work Abstracts) - ("children with disabilities" or "children with special needs" ) AND U.S. AND Africa
(keyword search in SocINDEX with Full Text, Family Studies Abstracts, Sociological Collection, and Social Work Abstracts) - ("children with disabilities" or "children with special needs" ) AND Africa AND (study or report)
(keyword search in SocINDEX with Full Text, Family Studies Abstracts, Sociological Collection, and Social Work Abstracts) - DE "INTERNATIONAL adoption" AND issue* AND (survey research or report)
(subject and keyword search in SocINDEX with Full text; DE=descriptor or subject term) - DE " FAMILY services" AND permanency
- (subject and keyword search)
- foster care AND permanency AND (study OR report OR research)
- (keyword search; limit by date)
- SocINDEX with Full Text This link opens in a new window
- Sociological Collection This link opens in a new window
- APA PsycArticles® This link opens in a new window
- APA PsycInfo® This link opens in a new window
- Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection This link opens in a new window