Creating a Search Query

Most databases don't understand the natural language we speak and need help understanding what we're looking for. For this, they require a special set of conventions, including:

Quotation marks Symbol: " "	Use to search for exact phrases. Example: "University of Texas at San Antonio"
Boolean operators	Use to connect words and to narrow or broaden a search. Examples: OR, AND, NOT
Wildcards and truncation Symbols: *, #, ?, !	Use to find terms that have variant forms of spelling or different possible endings. Examples: child* for child, children, childhood, childish, etc.
Nesting Symbol: ( )	Use to group like terms and to separate your main ideas. Example: (marijuana OR "cannabis sativa") AND legalization

Databases and search engines apply these rules differently, so check help files or ask a librarian to find out how to use them.

Click on the links below for a demonstration of each strategy. Select either an animated movie or a static image.

Function	Search Strategy
Narrowing	AND	movie	image
	NOT	movie	image
Broadening	OR	movie	image
	Wildcard	movie	image
Combining	Nesting	movie	image

Perform a set of searches in Academic Search Complete. For off-campus access, you'll be asked to enter your last name and Banner ID from your UTSA card.

Searching Sections

1. Searching
2. Databases
3. Database Coverage
4. Database Exercise
5. Records and Fields
6. Field Searching

7. Creating a Search Query

8. Search Query Exercise
9. UTSA Searching