Database Guide Engineering Village

User Manual:

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Page Count: 2

Developing your search strategy (1):

 Identify your key concepts (search terms)

 For each key concept think of alternatives (e.g. synonyms, related

terms, broader/narrow terms)

 Combine terms using Boolean logic (AND, OR)

Combining terms:

 turbulent flow (system assumes an AND between words) - finds

items containing both turbulent and flow

 turbulent AND flow – as above

 earthquake OR seismic – finds items containing any of the

words: earthquake, seismic

 steel NEAR/6 column – finds items where the words steel and

column are within 6 words of each other

Engineering Village – database guide

Example search topic: finite element analysis of turbulent flow in pipes

Key concepts: finite element, turbulence, pipes

This search finds items which contain: the phrase finite element or one of the acronyms FEA, FEM, PLUS

(AND) any word beginning with turbulen (e.g. turbulence, turbulent), PLUS (AND) the word pipes and any

simple single/plural variations

Personal Account

Register to:

 Save records/searches

 Create alerts

Search Results:

Developing your search strategy (2):

 Review results – scan item titles, read summaries/abstracts to

determine relevance/worth reading full text

 Change/refine search to improve search results if necessary

 Use Search History to view/edit/save previous searches and to

create alerts

Refining your search (some options):

 Add/omit search terms to widen/narrow search

 Limit some search terms to title or index terms field

 Consider using: phrase searching, field searching (e.g. limit to

title), truncation operator (*), proximity operator (NEAR/n)