You cannot search in Library research databases using sentences. Instead, you must break down your research topic into its key concepts/keywords.
For example, if my topic is Canadian Arctic sovereignty of environmental issues, my key concepts will be:
Canadian Arctic
sovereignty
environment
Library databases are designed to accept your keywords either alone or in combination. For example, this is what an Advanced Search using keywords in combination looks like in the Novanet Catalogue:

- When you search your keywords together, you search using a procedure called Boolean searching -- this sounds way more intimidating than it is! You are just searching with your keywords using the connecting words: AND, OR, NOT
- Boolean searching got its name from a man named George Boole (1815-1864) who came up with this system of logic.
- To find out about Boolean searching, see the PowerPoint presentation below, or play Zombool, a Zombie Apocalypse game, directions below!
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