Skip to Main Content

Database Searching: Manage/Refine Your Results

This guide describes a variety of search techniques that can be used to help improve your database search results. The techniques can be used in any database, but this guide is based on searches performed within Academic Search Complete.

Manage Your Results

Filtering results

Filters are basically limiters that you can apply after the search. These are especially useful during preliminary searches where large numbers of documents are retrieved. For example, the screenshots below show a keyword search for global warming. The search returns over 26,000 records. By using the filter options to the left of the search results we can specify a date range for the articles, require that they be peer reviewed, or even choose a particular subject area for our focus.

 

 
 
Work with results


 

When you click on the Cite option, the citation for the article is displayed in various citation formats (see below). Just be aware that adjustments need to be made sometimes; for example, APA citation requires the first letter of the first word of the title (and the first word after a colon, if there is one) to be capitalized, but the rest of the title should be lowercase. Simply copy, paste into your references, and make needed adjustments - most of the work is already done!
 

 

Celebrating 75 Years of Excellence!

Westchester Community College provides accessible, high quality and affordable education to meet the needs of our diverse community. We are committed to student success, academic excellence, workforce development, economic development and lifelong learning.

MyWCC
Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook Facebook

75 Grasslands Road
Valhalla, NY 10595
Tel: (914) 606-6600