Library Resource Guide: Students

• You can find articles by searching the Library's databases.
  • Search databases using the tips in the “Search Strategies for Databases” box, below.
  • Understand the scope of the database. Some cover multiple subjects and others cover a specific discipline. If you aren’t finding what you need, you might need to try another database.

• Off-campus? Most article databases are available by logging in with your UVA Wise username and password.
  • As long as you are a student, faculty or staff you can access our libraries databases from home. In order to do that, just click on the database or product that you want to search, and a box will pop up asking for your ID and password. That is the same as your UVA Wise email and password.
  • You can also Ask a Librarian if you are having difficulties accessing a database off-campus.

• Interpreting Database Results:
  • Once you perform a search, you'll see a list of results (articles that match your keywords). Most databases try to be like Google, which means your results will rank by relevance.
  • If you need recent articles, peer-reviewed (scholarly) articles, or if you only want to see articles which can be viewed online, you can limit your search. Use the database's function and search options.

Keyword Search:

A keyword search retrieves words or phrases from the important fields of the database records. In most databases a keyword search finds words in fields that have descriptive content, such as author, article title, source title (book, journal, magazine, or newspaper, subject/descriptor terms, and abstract. In some databases, additional fields may be included in the keyword search. And in other databases, a keyword search will search everything in every record.  Some keyword search engines allow you to specify which field(s) are to be searched.

A keyword search usually retrieves more items than a subject search, but they may not all be relevant. The computer is looking for the exact word you typed, not for the meaning or context of the word.

For example, a search on AIDS will retrieve items on...

• aids for the hearing impaired
• school aids
• AIDS (the disease)

A keyword search is the best method to use when:

• You are beginning your research
• You are searching for a new trend or concept
• You are not sure of the correct subject heading
• The database does not have subject headings
• You are looking for specific factual information

 Some search tips:

• Use only significant words, not common words, such as the, of, an, and that.
• Avoid using phrases such as "people with diabetes", or whole sentences, such as "How do people buy cigarettes if they are under 18?"

Subject Heading Search:

A subject search involves searching for subject headings/terms used in the library catalog or a library database. The library catalog and many library databases include subject headings/terms that are assigned to each record.

A list of subject headings, (also known as a subject thesaurus), ensures that all items about the same topic have uniform headings. Users can then retrieve all of the items on the same topic using a subject heading/term, even when there may be several other ways to state the concept. By using the subject heading/term, you will retrieve every relevant item for your topic. Searching with a subject heading/term retrieves items ABOUT that particular topic, and it is a more precise search than a keyword search.

For example, you may want to research the topic pet therapy.

Possible ways (synonyms) to state this topic include: 

• pet therapy
• animal therapy
• dog therapy
• therapy pets
• therapy animals
• therapy dogs
• pet assisted therapy
• animal assisted therapy
• dog assisted therapy

When using the Library's catalog, to search for books, the subject headings for pet therapy are:

• animals - therapeutic use
• pets - therapeutic use.

When using the Library's catalog or the Academic Search Complete database to search for articles, the subject headings for pet therapy are: 

• animal-assisted therapy
• dog-assisted therapy
• pet therapy
• therapy dogs

The subject heading for pet therapy may be different in other library databases.