Combination searching:

✓ Combine keyword and subject searching or multiple subjects.
✓ Combine a previous searches or add new terms to a previous search.

Database Limiters:

✓ In psychology databases, use the limiters listed on Advanced Search to refine your search and for targeted results.
For example, your search may include multiple terms, such as adolescent OR teen OR young adult or youth. Do these terms represent the same age group? As shown below, using Age Group limiters opens new windowAPA PsycARTICLES can target articles for a specific age group.

✓ Date, Peer-Reviewed, Methodology, Classification, Tests & Measures, Populations, Gender, Age Group (shown above), and other limiters may be available to use in a database to refine your search.

Click a link below to go to the search results for several sample topics. Compare the types of searches and their results.
DE = Descriptor or subject term

TOPIC: What are causes or factors that contribute to bipolar depression in women.

• opens new window"bipolar depression" AND women AND ( factors OR cause)
• opens new windowDE "BIPOLAR disorder" AND (women or female) AND (depression or anxiety)

TOPIC: Does self-talk build confidence?

• opens new windowself-talk AND (confidence OR self esteem)
• opens new windowDE "Self-Talk" and (confidence OR self esteem)

TOPIC: Is behavior modification an effective treatment for teen eating disorders and other teen mental health disorders?

• opens new window (DE "Behavior Modification") AND (DE "Anorexia Nervosa")

TOPIC: Do videos games have a negative effect on a child's development?

• opens new windowDE "Childhood Development" AND video games AND risk factors
• opens new windowchildren AND video games AND negative effect*