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APS 241 Crime & Deviance: Search Tips

LIBRARY: Searching for Resources

In our library catalogue, type a general topic, e.g.

Select a relevant book in your results list, and then View the Description for accurate subject headings (under Subjects). 

Once you know the subject headings for your topic, do a subject (su:) search.

You could also try an Advanced Search, combining keywords from several Subject Headings:

Try the following search in WorldCat  Advanced Search.

  • The truncation symbol (*) finds results with any ending
  • OR finds results with EITHER term

For more help on searching, go to our library website.

EBSCOhost: Searching for Resources

From the library Databases page, go to EBSCOhost and then select EBSCOhost Web.  Then choose your database(s). and create a search similar to the example below. Finally, you may limit your results by using the filters on the left-hand side of the screen, e.g., recently published (in the past 5 years),  full text articles in peer reviewed journals.  The Sample topic below is: To what extent have sexism and racism contributed toward crimes against Canadian missing and murdered Indigenous women?

Begin with a general search in order to find search keywords from the Subjects field of relevant records:

Then by using keywords from established subject headings, construct a more Advanced search:

  • AND finds results with BOTH terms 
  • OR finds results with EITHER terms
  • canad*  finds any ending, e.g. Canada, Canadian
  • Using quotation marks will search for a phrase, e.g. "crimes against", "Indians of North America"

For more help with EBSCOhost databases, go to the library website and look under the Databases tab.

JSTOR: Searching for Resources

From the library Databases page, go to JSTOR, select Advanced Search and then and try a search like this. By placing quotation marks around a phrase, JSTOR will search this exact phrase only, bringing up more accurate results. You may also limit your results by item type, language and discipline.

The Sample topic below is:  Are human rights respected within prisons?

For additional help with JSTOR, look under the Databases tab on the library website.