DBL module: improving results

1. If your search doesn’t give you the number
and quality of articles you desire, look back at
the various steps in your research process to
see what you should change, based on the
things your first attempt taught you.
IMPROVING/REFINING RESULTS

2. • Review the following:
• Search string syntax
• Key words
• The database searched
• Your topic
Review operators and groupings
You may want to use keywords observed in other papers that
you found in your search
Try searching with the same search string in another database
You may need to refine the scope of your topic

3. • If you are finding quality results, but
too many of them, try using filters
on the left-hand side of your search
results screen.
• Try setting document type to
journal articles to focus on peer-
reviewed works
• Look at the controlled vocabulary
and try filtering on various terms
of interest
• Filter out less current works by
using the year filter
z Use filters wisely
so you don’t miss
relevant info. For
example, conference
proceedings carry
some very up-to-
date and relevant
information even
though they are not
typically peer
reviewed.

4. v
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