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IST 605: Vampire Literature

Resources related to the history and cultural impact of vampire literature from the 18th century to the present.

Search Methods

Boolean Operators: 

If you're finding it difficult to locate sources, whether there is too much or too little, Boolean operators are a great tool to use. Adding simply AND, OR and NOT along with keywords can significantly help with your research.

  • AND: This operator can be used when you want to narrow your search and find all records containing the keywords you have entered.
  • OR: This operator can be used to expand your search and find all records with either keyword you have entered. 
  • NOT: This operator can be used when you want to exclude a keyword from your search. 

For example, using vampire AND Europe NOT North America to find information about European vampires. Some databases include boolean operators in their advanced search section. There is usually a drop down menu beside where you can enter keywords to select AND, OR and NOT. 

Phrase Searching: 

Phrase searching is helpful when you are trying to find resources that contain a whole phrase. To do this, use quotation marks at the beginning and end of your phrase. For example, "vampire fiction" will prompt results that contain those words together.