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REL / WGS 333: Religion, Status, and Dress: Home

Brainstorming Search Terms

Most databases will search words in the:

  • title of the article / book
  • abstract
  • subject terms

Brainstorm a list of possible terms before beginning your search; think about more specific or more general terms you can use if your initial search doesn't produce enough results. As you review your results, look at the subject headings used: are some of them helpful in describing, limiting, or broadening your content?

Here's an example of a set of search terms for various forms of womens' clothing associated with Islamic traditions:

  • hijab
  • niqab
  • burqa

Search results from one of these terms yielded results with these subject terms:

  • veil / full veil
  • muslim womens' clothing
  • clothing - religious aspects (this one can be broadened to include other religious traditions)

Identifying Articles

Finding the Article / Book Once You've Identified It

Use the "Find It!" button When you search a database for a "Full Text" item, you are only searching through that particular database for the document in full-text, and not our entire collection.  An item may exist as a "Full Text" selection within a different database. 
If you don't find an item as full-text in the database you're searching, use the "Find It" button to cross-search other databses for that same item.  You may discover that we have electronic access to that material after all. 
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Request things we don't have

Citing Resources

Subject Guide

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Rob O'Brien Withers
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111 King Library