Search Terms
When constructing searches to quickly locate articles that support or oppose a concept, use words like: against, support, oppose, right, wrong, legal, illegal, immoral, ethical, unethical, unjust, moral, fair, unfair, criminalize, decriminalize, debatable, allow, amoral, dishonest, unprincipled, bad, wicked, unprincipled, reasonable, unscrupulous, dishonorable, principled, respectable, and so on.
To find out why a particular course of action is being pursued use words like: purpose, motivation, motive, cause, reason, intention, design, etc.
For example, here is an "Advanced" InfoTrac search for articles opposing stem cell research. It uses the phrase stem cell* and (oppos* or unethical or immoral or wrong or unjust or unfair or immoral). In Infotrac (and many other databases) the * allows the computer to find word variations like: oppose, opposed, opposing, or stem cell, stem cells. Note: that the search is limited so that stem cell* must be in the title. This focuses the search. Note, too, that "or" not "and" connects the various search terms in the list. The search below returns 30+ records. This search is clickable on campus.
InfoTrac or Academic Search Elite
Below is the same search with both terms set to key word. It returns 50+ records. This search is clickable on campus.
Below is a search looking for the purpose of stem cell research
This search uses terms like: (cause or purpose or motiv* or reason or cure or cancer or heart or paralyze)
Note that the search is limited to articles with text and to the last four years. This search is clickable on campus.
Below is a search from LexisNexis-Academic. I used the same terms as in InfoTrac. Note that I have set Step One to General News; Step Two to Major Papers. This subdatabase captures 200+ large daily newspapers from around the world.
Note that the !in Lexis functions as the
* did in InfoTrac. Note that the database is
searching the headlines and lead paragraphs.
tells the computer that
stem cell! must be found within ten words of all the other search terms. This is
a very effective way of focusing your search.
Note that database is only searching the last two years. This search is not clickable.
When you get your results, click on
. This will resort your
results using an algorithm that attempts to discern whether articles are more or
less on target. It works pretty well. Next click on
. This will reveal your
search terms within the articles as below, making it easier to skim.
Congressional testimony is an excellent place to get information on
controversial topics--as Congress is often asked to make laws regarding such
topics. To get testimony click on the
link in LexisNexis
Congressional. Set the search to Any Committee and date to Previous Five
Years (or any appropriate date). I wrote the search below. Note that it will
find all the terms within 20 words of one another.
stem cell! w/20 (oppos! or unethical or immoral or wrong or unjust or unfair or immoral)
