Graduate Students' Guide to the Library: Search Strategies

Too few results?

• Use fewer search terms, or swap out for synonyms.
• Borrow the subject terms coming up in the sidebar.
• Truncate keywords to get all variations of the word (e.g. "censor*" searches for censor, censored, censorship, and censors). 

Too many results?

• Be more precise (e.g. basketball instead of sports).
• Add an additional keyword.
• Enclose exact phrases in double quotation marks (e.g., "world health organization").
• Refine your search using the facets like publication type, date range, or subject headings.

Still need help?

Citation chaining is the process of locating related works both forward and backward in time. Links to references cited in an original work take you backward in time. Links to "cited by" works take you forward in time from an original article to works that cite the original work. Citation chaining establishes an historical perspective or the progression of a topic or line of inquiry. Citation databases facilitate the process by providing linkages between academic articles.  

Get the most out of your Internet searching by using search tips and advanced search strategies.

Database searching is key to the research process. The University of Wyoming subscribes to a number of different databases in a variety of fields. Click the databases A to Z to check out all of the databases available to you. 

When you search any of the library's databases or use the QuickSearch box you may have to go through a few steps to find the full-text of the articles you need. If you don't see a direct link to the full text of the article, go through the following steps:

• Click the "Find It@UW" button .  If a full-text copy is available, a link to the article will appear.
• If no online copy is available, you may order the article by clicking the Interlibrary Loan button 

UW Libraries QuickSearch: includes the collections of the University Libraries, UW Law Library, and the American Heritage Center.

Prospector: a unified catalog of twenty-three academic, public and special libraries in Colorado and Wyoming. UW students, faculty and staff can borrow materials from Prospector.

Interlibrary Loan: UW students, faculty and staff can request books, journal volumes, journal articles and other materials, regardless of whether it is available in the UW Libraries, online or in libraries around the world. A free service!

Getting items and checking them out: The description in the library catalog includes which level the item is on, the call number, and whether the item is available. Once you have books or other items in hand, take them to the Help Desk or a nearby Self-Checkout Station. Items can be checked out with a WyoOne ID card (or library card).  Loan periods vary by your status and the type of material being checked out.