Search techniques

Can't find what you are looking for?

• Are you looking in the right place?
  • Books, ebooks, films ---> Library Catalog
  • Scholarly and popular articles, some news ---> Fleet Search
  • You can also look around on the "open web" using Google Books, Google Scholar, Amazon, or other popular websites. Copy what you find and paste it into Fleet Search to see if we have it. 
• Are you using the right search terms (vocabulary)?
  • Brainstorm similar and related words, even if their meanings are slightly different.
  • For example, if you are searching "queer philosophy," you may also want to try searching the word "theory" and experiment with related identity terms such as LGBTQ, gay, lesbian, etc. Sources (especially older ones) don't always use the words we prefer today. Pay attention to the words you see when searching.
  • Is your question too narrow? Try making it slightly broader - you may find more. "Calais refugee camp" could become "Refugees in France" or "european migrant camps." Then look within those results for your narrower topic.

Keep track of your research

Use a free tool like Zotero (which is super useful) or even a simple document to keep track of citations for anything you read. You'll thank yourself later!

Fleet Search can automatically create citations and send them directly to your email. If you normally use bookmarks, DO NOT use them to keep track of things in Fleet Search - they will break. Instead, send yourself a link to the article and citation, or use the "Permalink" button to create a stable link. 

See Also: Guide to Citation Management Tools

Get extra help

Reach out to Research Librarians at researchhelp@risd.edu ! We can email with you, or make an appointment to work together in person or via Zoom.