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Social Work 7300: Methods of Community Research

How to Search for Relevant Literature FAST Using Boolean Operators

Broad to Narrow

Violence - a broad topic that can be narrowed by:

  • type of violence
  • those committing violence - perpetrator/abuser
  • those being violated - victim
  • traits of (abuser or victim) - mental health, drug use, etc
  • history of abuse (abuser or victim or family)

Keyword phrase: domestic violence and perpetrator and child abuse

Broad to Narrow

Depression - a broad topic that can be narrowed by

  • types of depression
  • gender
  • age
  • type of treatment
  • type of study - Clinical, Empirical, Quantitative

Broad to Narrow types: Depression > Bipolar disorder > Post Traumatic Stress Disorder > Kleine-Levin Syndrome

Type with gender and kind of study: Kleine-Levin Syndrome > Female > Clinical

Keyword phrase: Kleine-Levin Syndrome and Bipolar disorder and Clinical Case Study