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Research Guides@Tufts

Database Searching Tips

Description

Log in to Ovid. Databases include

Wildcards

  • * replaces zero or more characters within or at the end of a word.
  • ? replaces a single character. Use multiple question marks to replace specified number of characters, e.g., psych????y will find psychiatry or psychology but not psychometrically.

Connectors

  • before and after: terms must be in the order typed with no words between them.
  • near: terms must be within 10 words of each other.
  • within #: terms may be in any order with no more than # words between them.

Limits

Varies depending on database. Generally language, document type, and date.

Save/Rerun

  1. Select Saved Searches/Alerts.
  2. Log in or register if it is your first time using this function.
  3. Customize as you wish.
  4. Save the changes.

 

 

Full Text/Document Delivery

Much full text available. To find sources that aren’t full-text, select Find it@Tufts.