SEARCH TIPS

Excerpted from CSSINFO in Engineering Village:

Searching is a process, not a one-time event. There is not one magical search term that will find all the results you are looking for.  If you're having difficulty finding what you need, we suggest you try the following tips to get moving in the right direction.  Also, before giving up on finding what you're looking for, ask the reference staff for assistance — that's what we're here for!

• Check your spelling.
• Use various forms of words. If you are interested in piping, try "pipe" or "pipes" as well as "piping".
• Narrow your search by using multiple words related to your subject. For example, entering "quality control manufacturing" will yield more relevant results than entering "quality control".
• Broaden your search by using fewer search words.
• Try using synonyms or other similar words. For example, "tanks" are often called "reservoirs"
  and "power" and "energy" are often interrelated.
• Use the correct collection to get results most relevant to your search. For example, if you're using the Library Catalog, do NOT search for the titles of journal articles. The Library Catalog lists ONLY the titles of the journals themselves.