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Biology

The biology research guide can guide you in finding relevant resources for your research such as journals and databases

Refining Your Search

You can use AND, OR, and NOT to build a search phrase that helps narrow or broaden your search results.

  • AND: Narrows your search and retrieves results that include both terms you are searching.
    • I.e., birds AND "wind farms"
  • OR: Broadens your search and retrieves items that include both terms.
    • I.e., birds OR raptors
  • NOT: Narrows your search and excludes items with a certain term.
    • I.e., birds NOT raptors

You can also use " " quotation marks and ( ) parenthesis to build your search.

  • " " Quotation marks will tell OneSearch when you are looking for a phrase and keeps two or more terms together.
    • I.e., By putting " " quotation marks around the phrase "wind farms" OneSearch will know to only look for the two terms together.
  • ( ) Parenthesis put your search words into sets. It's particularly useful when you are using AND, OR, or NOT.
    • I.e., (Birds OR raptors) and "wind farms"
John F. Kennedy Memorial Library
California State University, Los Angeles
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Los Angeles, CA 90032-8300
323-343-3988