Harry S Truman Library

Our database subscriptions allow for access to copyrighted content including academic journals, eBooks, magazines, newspapers, etc. Not every database can be used to answer every research question.

• On campus we are logged in automatically. Off-campus, you should log in with your CCC credentials.
• Use keywords (e.g. Shakespeare AND criticism; Macbeth AND guilt; Hamlet AND Ophelia AND madness) in combination to get the most relevant results. Generally, the databases will look in the title, abstract, and subject terms (these are tags that describe the topics discussed) to provide results. Avoid words like what, in, the, how, etc.
• Many databases provide full-text access as well as abstract-only access. Always click full-text if given the option!
• Change the date range to get more recent results.

Boolean Operators

• Put quotation marks around your search terms to find an exact phrase​

• Refine or widen your search results with “AND,” “OR,” “NOT.”​

Wildcards

• Many databases allow you to use a ? in place of a letter

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Truncation

• Use an asterisk to search for words where more than one letter might differ

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