Library FAQs

Try these self-help strategies if you find that your search produced too many results.  Librarians are here to help, too!  Please Ask a Librarian or use our contact information to get in touch. Most of our resources also have slide-out chat options so you can get immediate searching help during business hours. 

Start with a small number of keywords. Then add more terms or try different terms based on your results.

Use more specific terms or add terms to your search.  Sometimes the terms or keywords used are too broad or you haven't included enough terms to focus your search.  Brainstorm about more specific terms--your teacher or a librarian can help.

Use the language of the discipline. For example, if you're searching a health/nursing database like CINAHL, you may get better results by searching for "neoplasm" instead of "cancer." 

Limit or refine your search results.   Most databases by default search by keyword. For more refined results, you can choose specific search fields and focus your search by including more specific information, such as:

• Date or date range (maybe you need the most recent articles or you need articles from the last five years)
• Author's name (maybe your teacher mentioned an author by name)
• Title of the journal (maybe your teacher suggested a few titles of important journals in the field)
• Type of article (maybe you need scholarly articles or you're looking for editorials) 

Use the advanced search feature.  Sometimes this allows you greater control over your search and produces better results.

Choose a more narrow focus for your topic and make sure your topic is manageable, especially if a lot has been written about it.  For example, if you're looking at GLBTQ+ soldiers in the U.S. military, you might examine changing attitudes towards sexuality, military culture, or arguments for or against gay soldiers in combat units. 

Look at the subject headings or descriptors for relevant articles in your results.  If your results include some articles that are on point, look at the subject headings or descriptors to brainstorm terms you can use in your search.

And don't forget, you can Ask a Librarian for help, too!