3.2.1 Too many results?

The following techniques and considerations will help to narrow your search:

Have you defined your topic too broadly?

Think carefully about your search terms. Be specific. Go back and look at the concept map constructed in 1.3 Map your ideas. This might help you to re-define your topic. Think of more specific terms and/or additional concepts you can add to your search.

For example: Rather than searching on ethical theories, search on a specific theory, such as utilitarianism.

Use subject searching

Using subject searching improves access to information by retrieving all materials on a topic, even if the exact search term does not appear in the title, abstract or fulltext fields of a record. See 2.3.1 Keyword or subject searching?.

Use phrase searching

A phrase search will look for a string of words next to each other exactly as keyed (in the same order) which makes your search more specific. See 2.3.4 Phrase searching.

Use field searching

Use the field searching technique to restrict your search terms to a particular field.

For example: Rather than searching the entire record, search only in the title field.

Use limiters

The limiting options available will depend on the search tool you are using. Common limiters include:

Date or Year	Limit to a specific date, year, or a range of dates or years.
Language	Limit to resources available in a specific language.
Country or Geographic	Limit to information that focuses on a specific country or region.
Fulltext articles only	Some databases may allow you to retrieve only articles available in fulltext.
Scholarly or Refereed journals	Some databases allow you limit to scholarly or refereed (peer-reviewed) information.
Article or document type	Some databases allow you to limit by document type, such as a market report, case study, or editorial.
Domain	Some Internet search tools allow you to limit by domain, which enables limiting by country and/or organisation type. See 2.4.3.2 Tips for searching the Internet.
Format	Some Internet search tools allow you to limit by file format such as .pdf or .doc files.