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Library/Research Resources - Fall 2025: Prof. Cabrera: Research Basics

Research Basics-Boolean Operators

Boolean Operators help you efficiently search our library databases for articles (you can also use them when searching Google in their advanced search). Remember to keep your search terms simple to keywords that relate to your subject of your research.

Quotation Marks: To search multiple worded search terms together.
       "Monterey Peninsula College" 
       "African American" 
       "Harlem Renaissance"

AND: To tell the database that these search terms must appear in your results and to help you narrow your search.
       Jazz AND culture
       "Black Panthers" AND empowerment 
       "American Indian" AND protest

OR: When you want to search for either term and help expand your search.
       "Miles Davis" OR "John Coltrane"
       Rap OR "Hip Hop" 
       ("Native American" OR Indian) AND treaties

Link to Prezi Presentation for Research

This is a link to my Prezi presentation on the basics of doing research for this class. Take a look at it as it gives a brief overview of doing research for your class. There are videos on the other pages that are very helpful and clarify how to use these tools.