Performing a Database Search

1. Create a list of keywords for your topic.

1.1. What is your topic?

1.1.1. Battle of the Alamo

1.2. Keywords

1.2.1. San Antonio

1.2.2. Texas

1.2.3. Alamo

1.2.4. 1836

1.2.5. Davy Crockett

1.2.6. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

1.2.7. Sam Houston

1.2.8. Mexico

2. Use Filters in the database.

2.1. Full Text

2.2. Document type (letter, article)

2.3. Image type (map, photo)

2.4. Publication type (periodical, book)

2.5. Scholarly journals (peer reviewed)

2.6. Published date

3. Know which database to search for your topic.

3.1. Military & Government Collection

3.2. World History Collection

3.3. Newspaper Source

3.4. Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia

3.5. Student Research Center

3.6. Kids Search

3.7. eBook Collection

4. Use Boolean Operators such as AND, OR, NOT.

4.1. San Antonio AND Alamo AND Mexico

4.2. Battle AND Alamo OR Davy Crockett

4.3. Texas AND Davy Crockett

4.4. 1836 AND Sam Houston OR Crockett

4.5. 1836 AND Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

4.6. Sam Houston NOT Davy Crockett AND Alamo

4.7. Texas AND Mexico AND Alamo AND 1836