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Software Engineering

Useful resources for research in Software Engineering

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Search Strategy & Tips

  1. State your topic or research question in your own words (example: What influence does gender have on success at math?). Natural language searches often work well in OneSearch, but for individual subject databases:
  2. Identify the most important keywords (usually the substantive nouns) or short, commonly used phrases.
  3. Think of variations (singular, plural) and synonyms for your terms.
  4. Create an initial search statement using connectors or logical operators (especially AND, OR) and, if appropriate, wildcards.
  5. Try it out in one or more databases.
  6. Look for other good keywords and subject terms in search results.
  7. Try revised searches until you're satisfied with the results.
  8. Depending on the volume of results, consider narrowing or broadening your topic.
  9. If you're having difficulties, contact us.

 

 

Find more (broaden your results) with OR and wildcards:
   algebra OR geometry   (finds either term)
   avoid* OR prevent*   (finds avoid, avoiding, prevent, prevention, etc.)

Find less (narrow your results) with AND:
   conservation AND wetlands   (finds both terms)

Find less with NOT:
   martin luther NOT king   (excludes records that mention Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Sample search statement:
   (math* achievement OR math* ability) AND gender

Limiters can help to improve the relevance and focus of results:

  • Narrow results with standard  limiters (peer-reviewed, date; document type; language; etc.)
  • Some databases allows quotation marks for an "exact phrase"
  • In databases for a specific subject discipline, look for specialized limiters (such as historical time period in America: History & Life or educational level in ERIC)
  • Try restricting some terms to the title or abstract field
  • Try restricting some terms to the subject or descriptors field. Subject terms can vary from database to database, but using them usually improves relevance so look for them in results displays and detailed records. Some databases include a subject terms thesaurus.

  • Look for different, relevant keywords or subject terms to try
  • Simplify your search by removing less critical search terms or limiters
  • Expand some terms to the all text or full text field, if provided
  • Try a different database or OneSearch

Sample Searches

ACM Digital Library

IEEE Xplore

INSPEC

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