When looking for information, your first step is to find background information to have an overview of the topic. Background sources will connect you to essential terms associated with the subject matter, dates, names, and other information that will help refine your search. You can find background information in general and subject-specific encyclopedias, dictionaries, and even textbooks.
Many library databases have advanced search screens like this:
| Boolean Operator | Example | What is does | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AND | bilingual education AND language policy | Narrows your search | |
| OR | teens OR adolescents OR "young adults" |
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| NOT | "heritage language immersion" NOT "dual language immersion" | Weeds out unhelpful stuff | |
| "Quotation Marks" | "second language acquisition" | Searches an exact phrase, those words in that order | |
| * (Asterisk) |
communic* (will include possibilities like communication, communicators, communicating, etc.) |
Includes all possible word ending variations |