Search It

Learn about our research tool: Search It

Library Research Guide

Tips When Searching for Resources About a Topic

the topics menu

  • Do not type complete sentences or questions. Instead, type keywords or phrases, e.g., dog training.
  • Start with only a few terms. You can always add more later.
  • Be flexible - if you don't like your results, retry your search with different words.
  • After you perform a search, consider using the Topics filter under "Refine My Results" to refine your search terms around related topics. Look carefully through the list of topics, select all that are of interest to you, and select "Apply Filters" to narrow your search results.

Tips When Searching for a Specific Item or Author

  • Double-check your spelling.
  • When searching for long, complex titles, try entering only the first five to six words.
  • Use either the Simple Search interface or the Advanced Search interface. 
    • In the Simple Search interface, use the right drop-down menu to specify whether you are searching for an author or for a title.

      drop down menu options

       
    • In the Advanced Search interface, use the drop-down menu to the left of a row to specify whether that row's terms are for an author or a title.

      drop down menu options