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ANTH 327/REL 327 Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion

Your Librarian

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Ethan Lindsay
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Ablah Library, 122D
(316) 978-5081

Research Tips

When searching databases, consider the following when entering your search terms:
 
1. Are there multiple terms that could be used for your topic? For example:
          afterlife or hereafter
          Islam or Muslim
          gender or women  
          rituals or rites or ceremonies
          vodou or voodoo
          witchcraft or sorcery
          medicine or healing or curing  
 
2. Are there ways to "truncate" a term to pick up alternative spellings or singular/plural? For example:
           shaman* for shaman, shamans, shamanism, shamanistic
           buddh*  for  buddhism, buddhist, buddhists
           sorcer* for sorcery, sorcerer, sorcerers
           spirit* for spirit, spirits, spiritual, spirituality
           mormon* for mormon, mormons, mormonism
           wicca* for wicca, wiccan
​           witch* for witch, witches, witchcraft, witchhunt

             Note: The most common truncation symbol used in databases is an asterisk *. The Online Catalog uses a question mark ?.
 
3. Use those additional terms and truncated words in your search statement. Examples of search statements:
           shaman* and healing
           shaman* and (healing or medicine or curing)
           (hopi* or pueblo*) and witch* and heal*
           buddh* and (gender or women)
           (islam or muslim) and ritual* 
           shaman* and (ritual* or rite* or ceremon*) 
           (vodou or voodoo*) and (spirit* or sorcer*) 
           azande and (divination or witch*)        
               
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