Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (NRES) Research Project

Class guide for the NRES Capstone class.

Library Research Guide

You can get better at finding sources with a little planning and reflection. As you prepare and while you're searching, make notes about

  1. what you search - search terms/keywords;
  2. how you search - search operators, advanced search; and
  3. where you search - selecting the right database or website

How to Search: Search Operators

Searching these resources is different from searching the Internet. K-State Libraries pays to subscribe to the databases; they are not found in an online search.

  • Keywords: Break your topic into key concepts; list relevant terminology/keywords and synonyms.
    • AND = both concepts must be present, limits the search (Ex. stormwater AND management)
    • OR = great for synonyms, expands the search  (Ex. "universal design" OR "inclusive design")
    • NOT = exclude an unrelated term, limits the search (Ex. "nigel coates" NOT "book review")
  • Advanced search: Search fields like journal title, publication date, institution, etc.
  • Subject headings: Use the language/terminology of a database by looking for a Thesaurus, Subject Headings, Subjects, Keywords, or Descriptors.
  • Truncation: Includes all possible endings: teen* searches for "teen", "teens", "teenager", "teenagers", etc.
  • Wildcard: Replaces any character: wom?n searches for "women" or "woman."
  • Help: Click help or for database-specific instructions.

Find a Subject Specific Database

For more information about multidisciplinary databases Scopus and Web of Science see the pages under "Finding Sources".

Screenshot of K-State database page with search and filter options (by subject, type, alphabet) highlighted