| TX | All Text |
| AU | Author |
| TI | Title |
| SU | Subject Terms |
| AB | Abstract |
Electronic records are organized into separate fields. A typical record includes the following major fields: title, author, and subject. Databases often have several other fields, such as keyword, location, date, and journal title. See the example to the right of some possible fields. Most catalogs and databases allow users to search specific fields individually or in combination.
Use a title search for the fewest number of results
Use a full text search for largest number of results
Use a subject search to get specific items on your topic
Check the database for subject terms, different databases may use different subject terms. For example, in Academic Search Complete if you are searching the topic "young victims of crime", use the subject YOUTH -- Crimes against.
These strategies can be combined into one search, as in the example below. Note order does matter when using multiple Boolean operators. In general use "OR" before "AND," or use parentheses if you are only using one search box. Check the database's help guide for the appropriate order.
