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Information Literacy for First Year Students: Lesson 6: Database searching

Information Literacy Programme for first year students. Start with "Home" and finish with "Unit 7: Information Identity" Assistance to enrol, click here Blackboard user

Tips to search a database

  • Use common search techniques that you can apply to almost any database, including article databases, online catalogues and even commercial search engines.
  • Many databases offer tips on how to use the database and how to conduct a search.  At the database home page look for links which say Help and/or Search Tips. 

Your personal journal

Using a database

You can now use your search techniques in any database. A database is developed to recognise specific search techniques, such as Boolean Operators, Phrase Searching, Truncation etc. You can access UJ library database from our library homepage . To gain access to our databases, you need to login with your username (student number) and password (ULink password).

Follow this presentation on how to search the Ebsco database.

Video: What are databases and why we need them