Strategies for starting an initial literature search
1. Use free text or natural language
Think of how you do a Google search. Typically, you might write out a string of words together and hit the search button. This is known as "free text" or "natural language" searching. You can do this same form of search within most library databases.
2. Pay attention to the syntax
Let's take it a step further. If you want to pay particular attention to the words you use, you may want to consider whether you want to write phrases (in quotes) or consider additional endings (truncation) and using specific database commands that include or exclude concepts (boolean operators).
3. Use the Advance Search feature to see how these search operators are used in the database
Search for articles, books, and more at the UNLV Libraries and beyond using Quick Search.
The default search results will include books, online journal articles, newspaper articles, streaming video and more. Filters on the results page let you select materials by format, subject, date, or language, or you can opt to see only articles from peer-reviewed journals.
Log in with your ACE account to see results from more databases, to save and organize your items and searches, and to access your library account. Learn more in the Quick Search Guide and visit the Off-Campus Access to Library Materials page.
Here are some library databases to help you get started on your search:
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