Go to SWUCat, the library's online catalog, to search for books and other materials located by the Rickman Library.
If you cannot find a book available in SWUCat, check PASCAL. This catalog searches for books and ebooks in other South Caroline academic libraries. This service is free for SWU students.
Think Broadly. Remember to think broadly when searching for books - that is, to realize that your specific topic will probably be treated in books that cover a broader subject.
Once you find a book relevant to your topic, use the subject headings to help you find more.
Search Examples:
Using AND/OR/NOT (Boolean Search Operators) | |
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AND |
Use AND to focus search and combine different aspects of your topic. Example: vegetarianism and environment |
OR |
Use OR to expand your search and find synonyms/related terms. Example: global warming or climate change |
NOT |
Use NOT to exclude a word or phrase from your search Example: emissions trading not United States |
Additional Search Tips |
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"Phrase search" - Use quotation marks" " to search for a particular phrase. Example: "greenhouse gas emissions" |
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Truncation * - Use an asterisk to find variations of a word. Put an asterisk following the root of the word to find all variations of that word, including singular and plural. Example: environment* (finds environments, environmental, environmentalist, etc.) |
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(Grouping/Nesting Keywords) - Use parentheses ( ) as a way to group all your search terms together. Example: (climate change or global warming) and population growth |