Locating Resources for Your Research Begins With Library Databases
Important search terms help focus your search 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 in the author's name, the title, or the descriptors of the article or book.
Subject searches concepts or ideas.
Journal Source is the title of a journal.
Full Text is important if you need immediate access to the article. If you can wait a day or a few days for access, you can request an ILL for an article that is not available in full text. NOTE: many publications have 12-18-month embargos on full text. Limiting to full text may exclude the most recent research.
Scholarly or Peer-Reviewed indicates the article has been reviewed by people who are considered experts in the subject. Denver Seminary research papers require scholarly or peer-reviewed articles.
Publication Year is important when you need the most recent scholarship. 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. This is not available after you limit to articles.
When you do not receive enough results you can search for variations of a word by using type the first three or more letters of a word followed by an asterisk (*). That returns all words that begin with those letters.
How do you know if a book is scholarly? Look at the publisher, look at the credentials of the author, look at reviews of the book in scholarly journals, and look at the citations and bibliography.
Key Contacts
Electronic Reference
303.762.6964
digref@denverseminary.edu
Circulation Desk
303.762.6962
library@denverseminary.edu
General Reference
303.762.6984
libref@denverseminary.edu
Writing Center