LibGuides: How to Search a Database: Get More Articles

Get More Articles

If you are not getting enough articles, you probably need to broaden your search. It could also be a sign that you might not be using a database that covers your topic, so check that first. If you are in a database that you think should cover your topic, there are several techniques that you can use to broaden your search.

Be Flexible with Search Terms

When you want more articles try to think of alternate ways of describing your topic. Be flexible with your search terms when looking for resources. Some topics may have synonyms or terms that are close in meaning. For instance, when researching the Death Penalty, using the term Capital Punishment will also retrieve articles or Internet resources on the same topic.

Add More Search Terms
There are also frequently terms which are not synonymous, but which indicate a built in bias about the topic. These terms can also be used to retrieve more resources.

For instance, when researching abortion, the following terms can also retrieve articles or websites on abortion: Pro Choice, Pro Life, Reproductive Freedom, Right to Life.

You may not always know these related and alternate terms until you start looking for resources, but you should keep an eye out as you review articles.

Use Boolean OR

Boolean operators describe a conceptual relationship between search terms and include: "AND," "OR," and "NOT." Pro tip: Use Boolean operators in all caps so the databases doesn't search for the words and, or not.

OR
OR is good to use when there are several terms that can be used to describe the same or similar concept. If you need more articles, ask yourself if there are other ways to describe your topic and include them.

Example
If you are looking for articles on the death penalty, you could enter: "death penalty" OR "capital punishment".

Use Pearl Growing

Another technique you can use to get more articles is called pearl growing. If you retrieve even just one article that you are really interested in, click on it. In most databases you will see a list of subjects or descriptors describing your article. By clicking on any of those subjects, whichever one focuses on the the aspect you are most interested in, you will retrieve more articles with a similar focus, if they are available.

There is another way to "grow pearls." Read the titles and abstracts of articles that seem close to what you want. Do you see any terms that describe your topic that you did not use in your search? Use these new terms to do more searches.

More Like This

More like This is a variation of pearl growing that databases have automated for you. The automated version is not always successful, but it's always worth a look. EBSCO, Gale and ProQuest databases all provide a version of More Like This on the page of any article.

EBSCO
Look for Find Similar Results on the article page to get more articles like this one; or you can click on any of the Subject Terms listed to run a new search on just that subject.

Gale
Look for More LikeThis on the article page to get more articles like this one; or you can click on any of the Related Subject listed to run a new search on just that subject.

JSTOR
Look for Related Text on the article page to get more articles like this one.

ProQuest
Look for Related Items on the article page to get more articles like this one; or you can select on any of the Search with indexing terms options listed to run a new search on just that subject.