How to Search
Search by keywords and small phrases.
Maximize your keyword searches with Boolean searching:
AND
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aquifer AND drought
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all words must appear in the result list
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OR
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streamflow OR stream measurement
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either word may appear in the results.
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NOT
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San Marcos NOT California
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must have San Marcos, but excludes items with California
Note: some databases use "and not" rather than "not"
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Use "quotation marks" to search for phrases.
Use the database’s "help" feature to find the syntax for advanced searches. This varies by database
Consider truncation. The asterisk (*) symbol is used most often.
Typing in stand* will give results containing: stands, standing, standards, standardize, and etc.
Try using the database’s subject or descriptor terms. Those are listed in the database’s thesaurus, or they may be listed near the article abstract. These can be useful for learning the preferred vocabulary of a discipline.
Library Research
- Start Your Research This link opens in a new windowSearch multiple databases and different types of content together. Databases searched include the library's catalog, Texas State Digital Collections repository, and many but not all Texas State licensed databases.
Start Your Research is a good place to start to help figure out keywords for your topic and get an idea of literature available on your topic. Then you can move into subject databases for more in-depth searching. The library subscribes to many databases covering Political Science as well as Law and Government. Here are a few good places to start your research.
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Large full-text multidisciplinary collection of scholarly journals, trade/professional publications, and newspapers. 1887-present.
- Communication Source This link opens in a new windowLarge database indexing publications worldwide pertaining to communication, advertising, linguistics, rhetoric and discourse, speech-language pathology, and media studies. 1915 to present.
- Congressional Publications (ProQuest) This link opens in a new windowLegislative histories, bills & laws, voting records, Congressional Record archive, hearings, House & Senate reports, Serial Set & Maps. 1789 to present.
- CultureGrams This link opens in a new window
Concise and up-to-date country reports on more than 200 countries, each U.S. state, and all Canadian provinces and territories. Delivers an insider's perspective on daily life and culture, customs, and lifestyles.
- CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Reports on a wide range of topics, with overviews, background and timeline of a topic, assessment of the current situation, tables and maps, pro/con statements from opposing positions. 1923 to present.
- JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Scholarly journals and books. Access begins with the first volume for many journal titles, but usually does not have the newest volumes of each journal. To try out AI tools in JSTOR, login using your personal JSTOR account and visit the FAQs to learn more.
- Legislative & Executive Reports This link opens in a new windowReports, documents, and maps either produced or ordered by Congress, as well as presidential communications and treaty materials. 1789 to present.
- PAIS Index & Archive This link opens in a new window
Indexes documents which provide historical perspective on many of the 20th century's public and social policies around the world. 1914 to present.
- Project Muse This link opens in a new window
Journals and ebooks from major university presses on literature and criticism, history, performing arts, cultural studies, education, philosophy, political science, gender studies, and more.
- Westlaw Academic This link opens in a new window
Decisions and case law from all state and federal courts, statutes, federal regulations, law review and legal journal articles. 1789-present.
