Searching by keyword is the best option to begin investigating a new topic. It allows the catalog to scan through titles, authors, subjects, and abstracts to match the words typed in the search box.
Search by keyword when you:
- Begin your research and want to view what information is available on your topic
- Need to combine two or more concepts
- Look for a specific phrase
- Want to compile a list of subject headings related to your topic for additional online searches
Tips for Keyword Searching:
- No need to capitalize any letters in the Library Catalog
- Use an asterisk (*) to find variant endings of a root word (review search techniques)
- Use the Advanced Search option to sort by relevance, date, title, and specify a date range
- Advanced Search also lets you limit by library location, type of material (Book, Video, Electronic Book, Electronic Video, etc.), and language
