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Computer Science - Graduate Students: Research Process

Search Processes and Strategies

This Searching for Computer Science Articles tutorial provides an overview of database search strategies and processes you can use to find scholarly articles on the internet and in library databases. Be watching and participating in it you will:

  • Understand Boolean search commands, phrases, and truncation and their effect on searching
  • How to execute Basic and Advanced searches and a Subject search in various databases
  • Be able to filter results, access full text, and use databases' various other tools

Boolean Operators: Pirates vs. Ninjas

Courtesy of Carnegie Vincent Library, Lincoln Memorial University

How to search databases with Boolean operators (and zombies)

Lego figurine of zombie office worker - Public domain from https://www.flickr.com/photos/pasukaru76/5369527462/ Boolean search expressions are magical formulas compatible with most databases in which keywords are combined with Boolean operators to create super effective searches. You will have learned this basic idea when you tool algebra.

Zombies are terrifying former humans that want to eat your brain and/or transform you into a zombie (their exact motivations are unclear).

ZomBool is a 'choose-your-own-path' video game created by a Dalhousie University librarian to help students survive the zombie apocalypse (maybe) with the help of search strategies and Boolean operators (PC or Mac). I think it's fun, hope you do too!

Get Help: Ask a Librarian