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What to look for
Stop words are frequently occurring, insignificant words that appear in a database record, article or web page.
Common stop words include:
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a
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an
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the
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in
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of
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on
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are
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be
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if
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into
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which
About stop words
Why should you care about stop words?
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Many databases ignore common words from your search statement. If included, the database returns far too many results.
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So you know which words to exclude from your search statement.
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To make sure they are included if they are a significant part of your search.
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Many databases recognize common stop words when they are part of the controlled vocabulary of subject headings and descriptors. Example: balance of payments
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Stop words vary by database. Check the Help screens for a list.
How can you avoid using stop words in your search?
In some databases, you can use techniques to include stop words as part of the sear
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Some databases use quotes around stop words. Example: Title keyword= out "of" Africa retrieves title: Out of Africa
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Choose the most significant words that describe your topic and connect them together using Boolean operators or proximity operators.
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Search for your terms in specific fields, such as author, title or subject/descriptor.