Whether you are using the Library Catalog or E-Research Tools, you can apply some basic rules to searching:

• There is no need to capitalize search words. Uppercase or lowercase works.
• Many databases allow you to limit your search results by language. Many also support searching with non-English keywords or subject headings. Depending on the scope of the indexing system, some records may be classified with English subject headings, whatever the language of the item itself. Consider this when choosing the language of your search terms.
• Do not include diacritical marks such as accents, tildes, or cedillas in your search strategy. The library catalog and other databases usually show such marks in the search results, but you should not use them in your search.
• There are different types of search strategies, including title, author, subject, and keyword. The following sections will discuss these strategies.
• Latin American Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study so it is important to use a variety of general and subject-specific resources to cover your topic.