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Art & Architecture Source: Basic Search

A guide for using the Art & Architecture Source database.

Basic Search

Image showing Art & Architecture Source's basic search box.Click to enlarge image

Art & Architecture Source defaults to an advanced search. To access basic search, click "Basic Search" under the advanced search boxes. Search by keyword, or adjust parameters under "Search Options." 

Search Tips

  • When brainstorming keywords to search by, think of terms that are closely related to your topic, or terms you might use when discussing your topic with a colleague such as jargon, synonyms, and abbreviations.
  • "Search Options" allows you to limit your initial search by publication date, full-text results, scholarly (peer reviewed) journals, publication type, and more. 
  • Under "Search Options," set the "Search Mode" to Boolean/phrase, all search terms, some search terms, or SmartText searching. 
  • Use Boolean operators to limit, broaden, or eliminate terms from your search: 
    • AND limits search results, finding articles with both terms
    • OR broadens results, finding articles with either term
    • NOT eliminates terms from the results, finding articles with one term but not the other
  • Use truncation and wildcards to broaden your search:
    • Add a question mark (?) to replace one character in a word
    • Add a pound symbol (#)  to search for a word with an alternate spelling of a single character
    • Add an asterisk (*) after the stem of a word to find all its other possible endings. 
  • Use quotation marks around words to search for an exact phrase.