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Online Reference Sources
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Credo Reference This link opens in a new windowProvides full-text online versions of general and subject dictionaries and encyclopedias.
5 Tips for Searching Google Effectively
Google's Advanced Search screen provides a number of ways to limit and refine your search. You can also use the following advanced search techniques in the basic Google search:
- Use quotation marks to get exact wording: "health inequities"
- Use a minus sign or hyphen to omit words from your search: vaccines -influenza
- Use a plus sign to indicate words that must appear in your results: +healthcare
- Use OR with Parentheses to search for synonyms: (bias OR inequality) - add to your search with +
Example: +healthcare +(bias OR inequality)
- Use site: to limit to specific domains: health inequities site: twitter.com
- Use site: plus a country code to search by geographic area: refugee site: FR
Related Subject Guides
Finding Background Information
Searching for Background Information
Today you are not necessarily looking for sources that you will ultimately cite in your Wikipedia additions. You are looking to get a greater understanding of your topic, which will then help you search effectively for the sources that you will use. Understand that in many cases you may not search for your specific topic, but instead for the broader topic it falls under.
Example #1
Topic: Rally Driver Rosemary Smith
Search the Broader Topic: Women Rally Drivers
Example #2
Topic: Adoptees Liberty Movement Association
Search the Broader Topic: Adoptee Rights
Links to Good Resources for Finding Background Information
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Credo ReferenceOnline Reference Works: General & Subject Specific Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, and Handbooks.
TIP: Search for your topic in Headings -
HoyaSearchFor Today use this to search for online sources at Georgetown- articles or ebooks - that provide background info on your topic.
Limit to: Available Online -
Google Advanced SearchUse this to search for background info on your topic using the tools that allow you to search more exactly and to limit to specific types of sites.
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Access World News This link opens in a new windowThis comprehensive news collection is ideal for exploring issues and events at the local, regional, national and international level. Its diverse source types include print and online-only newspapers, blogs, newswires, journals, broadcast transcripts and videos. Use it to explore a specific event or to compare a wide variety of viewpoints on topics such as politics, business, health, sports, cultural activities and people. Content is easily searched and sorted through an intuitive, map-based interface. Paid ads are excluded.
