Narrowing a search:

If you are getting too many results then try one of the following methods.

• Limit your search to a field
  eg, title (ie article title). Example search in Scopus:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Apply a narrower term to your search
  eg, exercise therapy instead of exercise
  myocardial infarction instead of cardiovascular disease
  
  
• Search for a phrase instead of two separate keywords (especially important in Scopus, Google, Google Scholar)
  eg "autism spectrum" (use speech marks) instead of autism spectrum.
  
  
• Tick the 'Focus' box for the MeSH, CINAHL Heading, Emtree Heading, APA PsycINFO heading.
  See Explode & focus.
  
  
• Add another concept to your search
  eg, heart disease AND obesity AND nutrition instead of heart disease AND obesity.
  
  
• Remove any terms or words that broaden the scope of your topic
  eg, if your topic is glaucoma remove eye disease (if you have included this) from your search.
  
  
• Limit your search by date
  eg, last 2 or 5 years.
  
  
• Limit your search by language
  eg, English.
  
  
• Limit your search by publication type
  eg, randomized controlled trial, multicenter study, review.
  
  
• Limit your search by clinical query if appropriate
  eg, therapy
  
  
• Limit your search by age group if appropriate.
  
  
• If you used truncation check you have truncated at the best place in a word eg nurs* will find nurse or nurses or nursing or nursery or nurseries. It might be best to spell out each appropriate word.
  
  
• Add an appropriate subheading if you are using MeSH in Medline (Ovid) or subject headings in CINAHL Plus.