Keyword Searching
Keyword searching is how you will begin your deep dive into a topic. Databases use a defined set of terms, called a controlled vocabulary, to describe the articles, ebooks, datasets, etc. that are in the database. Each database uses a Subject Terms Thesaurus for managing their controlled vocabulary. You can often find the thesaurus linked at the top of the database; browsing it will help you find key terms to search by. These terms will also be linked under a search result, typically labeled as "subjects" or "keywords." If you find an article that is helpful, you can search for other articles on the same topic using these terms.
When typing in the search bar of many databases, the database will show suggested search terms from their controlled vocabulary. Likewise, after completing a search, a database may show you a list labeled "Suggested Topics" or "Suggested Subjects." Try these suggested subject terms to discover information related to your search.
Phrase Searching
Phrase searching allows you to be very specific in your searches. If you want to make sure the search results include your full phrase, put that phrase in quotation marks(" "). Using quotation marks will tell the database or search engine to search for that full phrase and not just the individual words that comprise it.
Example: If you want information on higher education you would search for "higher education"
When using phrase searching, be careful not to put too many words in quotations as the database will likely return few to no results.