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SOBA 200: Professional Communications

This guide will help students make the best use of library resources for SOBA 200 classes.

Search Tips

Did you get too many search results? Try this:
Add additional keywords- (ex: workplace AND listening AND skills)
Choose more specific search terms- (ex: business AND DeLand instead of business AND central Florida)
Exclude words from your search results- (ex: Apple NOT fruit)
Use search filters­- limit by source type, date of publication, language, subject, & more.
Choice of database- select a database with a narrower scope of subject matter
Search by subject- search for your terms as a subject instead of as a keyword
Didn't get enough search results? Try this:
Choice of keywords- choosing the right keywords is key. Try experimenting with different terms. (ex: Work OR job OR career OR workplace)
Too narrow topic- try looking for sources on a broader, related topic (ex: business AND Florida instead of business AND DeLand)
Too many search terms- begin with 1-2 search terms that best represent your topic, then add more as needed. Avoid long phrases.
Too many search filters- avoid using any filters that are unnecessary
Choice of database- select a database with a broader scope of subject matter
Use wildcard & truncation symbols- *, #, ? Allow you to search for multiple spellings of a term

 

Databases are different from Google.

Because databases don't like sentences, after identifying a research topic, break it down into 2-4 words or short phrases. 

For example, if your research question is, "How does a remote work policy affect individual employee productivity in an organization?", the keywords could be remote work and productivity. From those two terms, there is a better chance the database understands what you are searching for than if you typed in the whole question. 

Have a question? Ask a librarian! Email libref@stetson.edu. Call or text 386-747-9028.