AND link words by AND to search for all words in the same resource
OR link words by OR to search for one word or another (instead of both/all words)
NOT to eliminate results with a certain term
“Quotations” – add quotations to a group of two or more words to search for the exact phrase
Begin from the libraries homepage. Click on a library database or resource, follow the log-in screen instructions.
Access licensed resources with your
identikey username and password.
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Learn more about off-campus access.
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 searches on the Internet and subject-specific encyclopedias, dictionaries, and even Wikipedia. Although we do not usually include Wikipedia in your bibliographies, this online encyclopedia is a background source that could help you find keywords in the preliminary stages of your project.
Encyclopedia of Contemporary Italian Culture by 
The Italian American Experience by 
| Boolean Operator | Example | What It Does |
| AND | Immigration AND Italy AND film | Narrows your search |
| OR | movie OR motion picture OR cinema | Broadens your search |
| NOT | Italy AND film NOT food | Excludes topics you do not need |
| "Quotation Marks" | "Roberto Rossellini" | Searches an exact phrase |
| * (Asterisk) |
Italia* (Will include terms like Italian, Italianism, Italians) |
Using an asterisk will retrieve possible variations of the word. You can place the asterisk at a word's beginning, middle, or end. |
Keywords: The topic of your research will determine the keywords and related terms you will use in your searches.
Searching in databases uses similar logic to the one we used in the library's catalog OneSearch.
Subject headings work like tags. They help you expand your search.
What topics do you encounter in Italian films? using bilingual searches with Italian terms may also expand your searches.
Italian Cinema
Kanopy offers over 8,500 streaming films, documentaries, educational and training videos from an array of producers and distributors including BBC Active and Criterion Collection/Janus films. All videos work on PCs with Flash, iPads, iPhones, and mobile devices.
Database of journal, newspaper and magazine articlesfrom hundreds of international alternative, radical and left periodicals. Covers 1991-present. For 1969-1990, see Alternative Press Index Archive.
Current and historical coverage of major U.S. newspapers.
You may find sources in the Internet or in your university library's catalog, no matter where you look, always evaluate a source.