The key to searching databases is vocabulary -- coming up with a list of search terms related to your topic. These terms can be topical keywords, topical subject headings, people, organizations, events, geographical and chronological. The more possible search terms you have the more avenues you have into the databases. See example for illustration.

What is your topic?

Now identify the key concepts in your topic.
Concept 1:
Concept 2:
Concept 3:

Are there any related terms or synonyms for these concepts? List some synonyms and terms (these can be narrower or broader). For example, if one concept is women, synonyms terms could be woman, female, girls, related terms could be wives, daughters, marriage, family.
Concept 1:
Concept 2:
Concept 3:

Now are there any people, organizations, events, etc. related to your topic? If you are unsure, check a subject encyclopedia. Encyclopedias can be helpful in developing a list of related search terms. (For your topic not all of these categories may be relevant)
People:
Organizations:
Events:
Geography:
Chronology:
Other:

Now you are ready to combine your terms using boolean operators/connectors to create search statements. Some statements might be fairly simple, the name of a person for instance. Others may be more complex and require combining clusters of synonyms.

Please show 3 possible search statements. See example.

Concept 1 AND
Concept 2 AND
Concept 3

Concept 1 AND
Concept 2 AND
Concept 3

Concept 1 AND
Concept 2 AND
Concept 3

Any questions?