Too Many Results?

NARROW your topic by...

• Adding Keywords
• Using more narrow Keywords (ex: physics vs. quantum physics)
• Using Limiters (Date, Subject Terms, Location)
• Using PHRASING (ex: "family law" or "anxiety disorder")

Too Few Results? 

BROADEN your topic by...

• Getting rid of some Keywords (too many can narrow your search too far)
• Finding the right search terms (some databases are very picky!) 
• Broadening your general topic 
• Choosing different databases
• Using TRUNCATION when a word has various endings, use an asterisk (*) to search all endings (ex: engineer* = engineer, engineering, & engineers) 

Boolean Operators are used in many library databases. These operators are AND, OR, & NOT. They can help you narrow or broaden your search results.

(AND & NOT = Narrow)

(OR = Broad)

How can you tell if a source is reliable while searching? Take a few minutes to consider these questions.

Authority - Who wrote the article? What qualifications or credentials do they have regarding subject? What is the authors point of view? 

Content - What style of writing is used? Why was it written (to inform, persuade, sell, etc) Is it fact or opinion?

Audience - Who is the intended reader? What reading level is the article (advanced, general)?

Relevance - Is the information too general or too in-depth? 

Citation - Is the article properly cited? Does it have a bibliography or footnotes?

Date - When was the piece published? Has it been updated?

Review Process - Has the article been reviewed by subject specialists?