Finding too many results is a common research challenge. In many cases, it means your topic is broad or your search terms are matching a large number of sources.
The good news is that large result sets often indicate that information exists on your topic. The next step is learning how to focus the search.
Use More Specific Keywords
Broad terms often retrieve thousands of results.
For example:
- Broad: education
- Narrower: online nursing education
- More Focused: online nursing education and student retention
Adding additional concepts helps narrow your results to sources that are more closely related to your topic.
Focus Your Research Question
If your topic is very broad, consider narrowing by:
- A specific population
- A location or region
- A time period
- A particular issue or perspective
- A discipline or field of study
For example, instead of researching social media, you might focus on social media use among college students during the first year of enrollment.
Combine Multiple Concepts
Most library databases allow you to combine concepts using connectors such as:
- AND to narrow results
- OR to include synonyms
Examples:
- artificial intelligence AND higher education
- mental health AND college students
- telehealth AND rural communities
Combining concepts helps databases retrieve more focused results.
Use Database Filters
Many library databases provide filters that allow you to narrow results by:
- Publication date
- Peer-reviewed sources
- Source type
- Full text availability
- Subject headings
Applying filters can significantly reduce the number of results while increasing relevance.
Learn from Your Results
Review the titles, abstracts, and subject headings in your search results. You may discover new terminology used by researchers that can help refine your search.
Research is often an iterative process. Many researchers adjust their keywords and search strategies several times before finding the most useful sources.
Need Help?
Librarians at the Brother Edmond Drouin Library can help you narrow a topic, develop search strategies, and identify effective ways to focus your results.
