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Guide to Credo Reference

Searching in Credo Reference

Researchers can also conduct a conventional keyword search using the search tools in Credo Reference.

  • Enter keywords into the search boxes at the top of the search screen, as you would with any search box.
  • As you type, recommended searches will appear.  You can ignore these or select one of them to use as your search.
  • When searching, we recommend keeping your searches fairly simple.  For example, if you are writing a paper on the minimum wage and want to find background information, just type in "minimum wage" and not "history of the minimum wage." 

Example search

Navigating Results

The results page you will see these major sections:

  • A top result Credo thinks is a great starting point. 
  • A list of results from Credo Reference's collection of books, sorted by relevance. 
  • An interactive concept map you can use to explore your topic and find more concepts to investigate. This can be a handy tool when trying to find more keywords to use in Credo or other databases. 
  • A list of articles and other works from select other databases in the PG Library, including Gale eBooks and ProQuest Central. 

Some things to note:

  • You can filter results using the Types, Subjects, Media, Dates, and Lengths options.
  • Types and Lengths will be the most useful filters. 
    • When researching a controversial topic, click All Types, then choose Pro/Con.
    • Sometimes definitions can be rather short, depending on the book type the content is from (for example, dictionary entries are typically much shorter than encyclopedia entries).  Click All Lengths, then choose Short, Medium, or Long

Results list example

Video - Basic Search