Truncation is the ability to search for the root of a word with all possible endings. Truncation may also be referred to as wild cards or word stemming. Each database may have a different method of truncating a word, although most will use a common symbol, such as a question mark, asterisk, or exclamation point.

Example: teen* = teen, teens, teenage, teenager, teenagers

Subject headings are unique to each database and provide a defined vocabulary which is used to describe an article’s topic, regardless of what words the author has chosen to use. For example, all articles about teens, may be assigned the term Adolescent, even if an author has only used the word teenager or high school student. Subject headings allow you to search on a single term or phrase and feel confident that you have retrieved all articles related to that topic.

Example: Obesity = obesity, obese, overweight, BMI greater than 30.0 kg/m2

Boolean operators allow you to create complex search queries and logically combine your terms. Synonyms are generally combined with an OR and separate concepts are generally combined with an AND. Parentheses are often necessary, in order to ensure the logic of you search. In the example below, the search will retrieve all articles which include the term School and ANY ONE of the terms nutrition or diet or food.

Example: school AND (nutrition OR diet OR food)

Phrase searching allows you to search on words which are commonly found together as phrases. Databases generally require quotation marks around terms for phrase searching.

Example: "high school"