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 on the advanced search page 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.
Subject Limiters
Use the available subject, subject headings or thesaurus limiters to narrow your results or include some of the terms in your search expression.
After a search in EBSCO, look for subject link options in the left sidebar. Click an option, then click "Show more." Mark relevant subjects or use some terms to add to and refine your results.
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