Spelling & word variations (these work in most databases)
- Truncation Use * at the end of the word for variations on endings
- Educt* (retrieves educate, educator, educated, educational)
- Question mark Use ? in the middle of a word for variable spellings
- Colo*r (retrieves color & colour)
Group a phrase together in precise order
- Use quotes “ “ to take a phrase together, rather than each word separately
- “industrial and organizational psychology”
Proximity searching - find words near each other
- Ovid
- ADJ = adjacency
- Examples:
- PMDD ADJ1 treatment = PMDD treatment or treatment PMDD
- PMDD ADJ2 treatment = PMDD [any word] treatment or treatment [any word] PMDD
- PMDD ADJ3 treatment = PMDD [any two words] treatment or treatment [any two words] PMDD
- EBSCO
- N = Near (searches terms in any order)
- W = Within (searches terms in specified order)
- Examples:
- diabetes N1 health = diabetes [any word] health or health [any word] diabetes
- diabetes W1 health = diabetes [any word] health
- ProQuest
- near/ or n/ (searches terms in any order)
- pre/ or p/ (searches terms in specified order)
- Examples:
- diabetes near/1 health = diabetes [any word] health or health [any word] diabetes
- diabetes pre/1 health = diabetes [any word] health
