This guide is designed to aid students in Writing 1003 in finding scholarly sources by using library databases. It is broken down into tips on selecting and using keyword search terms, suggestions for library databases based on field, and additional research help tools.
Once you have determined your topic, you will need to determine keyword search terms that you will use to search within a database. While websites such as Google allow you to search using full phrases, databases work by using one or two keywords. For example, if you are looking for information on social justice in marketing campaigns, in a Google search you might search for the phrase "what is social justice in marketing campaigns?" When using a database, you would use specific keywords to define your search, such as "social justice" AND "marketing campaigns" rather than a complete phrase.
Using the word "AND" prompts the database to find articles that include both "social justice" AND "marketing campaigns." Putting your search terms in quotation marks ensures that the results found match these two search terms exactly. You may need to try multiple search terms related to your topic to find results, such as using "equity" in place of "social justice" or "corporate marketing" instead of "marketing campaigns."
You can find more tips on how to conduct an effective search under the "Research Help" tab located at the top of this page.
Off-campus (remote) access to the FDU Libraries is available to students, faculty, and staff. When a database or resource is selected, a prompt for your FDU NetID and password will appear on your screen. Access will be granted upon verification of your credentials.
