Different databases interpret searches differently. A common variation is how databases recognize phrases.
Know how your database searches, check in the information section of your database
Most databases allow you to specify that adjacent words be searched as phrases.
Why should you care about stop words?
How can you avoid using stop words in your search?
Choose the most significant words that describe your topic and connect them together using Boolean operators or proximity operators.
Search for your terms in specific fields, such as author, title or subject/descriptor.
Many databases allow you to specify that the words you are searching are within a certain proximity of each other.
Proximity operators also vary by database, but some common ones include:
w# = with
n# = near
Consult the database Help screens to find out how to search by phrases or to specify proximity. You can also Ask Us for advice on searching phrases.