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University Library Zurich

General Search Tips

With the following tips, you can easily improve your query strategy. Some of them also work in databases and search engines.

Narrowing down the Query

Filters

Search using keywords and author names. Avoid entering complete sentences. We recommend creating broad queries and narrowing down large numbers of results with the filters integrated into many search portals and databases.

Phrasing Search

Do you know the title of the document you are looking for? Or you are looking for a certain sequence of words? In these cases, it is worthwhile to set quotation marks. Displayed are results with titles/contents that contain exactly the sequence of words set in quotation marks:

  • "problematic use of the internet during the COVID-19 pandemic"
  • "cancel culture"

Operators AND + NOT

The AND operator is preset in many portals when entering multiple search terms and can be omitted in these cases. Feature: If search terms are linked with AND in upper case, the hit list shows results that contain both search terms:

  • usa AND united states

If search terms are concatenated with NOT in capital letters, the result list displays only the results of the first search term entered:

  • hiv NOT aids

 


Expanded Query

Truncating

If you want to include different word endings, you can insert an asterisk at the end of the search term as a placeholder. The asterisk is the placeholder for 0 and up to any number of characters. The searched term and all extension variants of it will be displayed. In the example below, talk, as well as talks, talking, talker, etc., will be retrieved.

  • talk*

Wildcard

If you want to allow for different spellings, you can insert a question mark as a placeholder. It replaces a single character. In the example below, both women and woman will be retrieved.

  • wom?n

Operator OR

If you combine search terms with OR, all matches will be displayed that contains both the one and the other spelling. This combination is suitable for term queries in different languages or spellings.

  • dekubitus OR decubitus

Database Tutorials

Instructions, tutorials, and user guides for licensed resources can be found in the subject-specific information, by clicking on Databases under the subsection Training.

Weiterführende Informationen

Research Questions?

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