There are many ways to search databases for scientific journal articles. Here are a few tips when you are searching in a database:
Keywords—Broaden or Narrow Your Terms; Use Related Terms or Synonyms; Focus on Nouns and Verbs in your Research Question
Operators—When searching use AND/OR/NOT and/or you can “Use Quotes” to search a particular phrase
Refining results using things such as Date Range, Subject Areas, or Format Type)
Read Abstracts (Summaries) First—If relevant to your research question, read the paper next (use the Find it at SLU button or a PDF button, if available, to get the full text)
Citation Tracking—Find a relevant article and use the References and Citations/Citing Articles to find other related articles
