Use these to focus on the most relevant results
Basic Search can include a word or a phrase enclosed in quotation marks. It searches keywords. If you use a phrase without quotation marks the results will include any of the words.
Advanced Search can include words or phrases combined with AND, OR, or NOT.
Keyword searches words. They may be in the author's name, the title, or the descriptors of the article or book.
Subject searches ideas or topics.
Journal Source is the title of a journal.
Full Text is important if you need immediate access to the article. Limiting to full text may eliminate the most recent research since there is frequently a 12-18-month embargo on full text in databases. You can request these items through Interlibrary Loan.
Scholarly or Peer Reviewed indicates the article has been reviewed by people who are considered experts in the subject matter. Denver Seminary research papers require scholarly or peer reviewed sources. Databases include scholarly or peer reviewed limits for articles, but not for books.
How do you know if a book is scholarly? Look at the publisher, look at the credentials of the author, look at the credentials of those endorsing the book, and look at book reviews in scholarly journals.
Publication Year is important when you need the most recent scholarship. However, sometimes you need to trace the scholarship on a topic over a number of years.
When you receive too many results use the Subject limit in the left column to identify the most relevant resources.
When you do not receive enough results you can search for variations of a word by typing the first three or more letters of a word followed by an asterisk (*). That returns all words that begin with those letters.