Articles - ENGL 1A - Sanelli (Food & Identity) - CCSF Library at City College of San Francisco

Search Strategies

Digital searching can work well when you combine your search words with "Boolean" connectors.

Boolean Connector	What does it do?
AND	narrows the results of a search, though without this operator, the AND is usually implied. This searches only for items containing both search terms. Example: health disparities AND urban
OR	expands or broadens the results of a search. This searches for either term, thus widening the possibilities. This is helpful when searching using synonyms. ("OR is more.") Example search string: genetically modified OR transgenic OR GMO
NOT	excludes specific terms that may be clouding your result set with irrelevant results not related to your topic. This is helpful when trying to remove some results. Example: nutrition NOT diet

Other strategies:

Identify key concepts. Include the useful or relevant keywords in your search, as well as synonyms, rather than a full question.
Use "Filters" to limit your source type, time period, and location.
Need "scholarly" articles? Use the "Peer-Reviewed Journals" filter.

Recommended Databases

Databases are searchable containers of the source types listed above: books, magazines, journals, and (but not webpages, which you search on the open web). Databases are owned by a few different companies, and the library pays for access to make relevant sources available for your research. The sources in the databases are rarely available for free on the open web.

When doing research in English 1A/AS Food and Identity, we recommend the following options:

OneSearch This link opens in a new window
Cross-searches most CCSF Library databases. Some resources are excluded. Learn more about searching in OneSearch.
Academic Search Complete (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Access to more than 8,800 full-text journals and 7,700 peer-reviewed journal on a variety of subjects including those within STEM research, social sciences and the humanities. This is a comprehensive multi-disciplinary database.
Food Science Source This link opens in a new window
An extensive full-text database designed to support the research needs of the food industry. It provides hundreds of full-text journals, monographs, magazines and trade publications, plus a wealth of food industry and market reports. Subjects include food processing, safety, service, shipping and innovation.
Business Source Complete (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Providing full text for more than 3,800 full-text journals, including full text for more than 2,000 peer-reviewed, as well as industry reports, SWOT analysis, and country economic reports. Includes titles in all disciplines of business, including marketing, management, MIS, POM, accounting, finance and economics. Full text back to 1886, and searchable cited references back to 1998.
Statista This link opens in a new window
Provides statistics on a variety of topic including media, business and society, and on a number of industries. Data is sourced from businesses, government departments, market research concerns and associations. Data is available in a variety of formats such as ppt, xls, png, and infographics.

ENGL 1A - Sanelli (Food & Identity)

OneSearch

What about articles behind a paywall?

Assistance

Search Strategies

Recommended Databases