Database Search Tips: Truncation

• Root words that have multiple endings. Example: sun = suns, sunshine, sunny, sunlight
• Words that are spelled differently, but mean the same thing. Example:  color, colour
• Truncation/wildcard symbols vary by database. Check the help screens to find out which symbols are used.

Content created by MIT Libraries, available under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License.

Truncation:

Truncation, also called stemming, is a technique that broadens your search to include various word endings and spellings.

• To use truncation, enter the root of a word and put the truncation symbol at the end.
• The database will return results that include any ending of that root word.
• Examples:
  child* = child, childs, children, childrens, childhood
  genetic* = genetic, genetics, genetically
• Truncation symbols may vary by database; common symbols include: *, !, ?, or #

Wildcards:

Similar to truncation, wildcards substitute a symbol for one letter of a word.

• This is useful if a word is spelled in different ways, but still has the same meaning.
• Examples:
  wom!n = woman, women
  colo?r = color, colour

If you have questions about applying this technique to your search, please contact a librarian.

Content created by MIT Libraries, available under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License.