Improving resource search results

Tips to find the resources you need

Thumbnail of resource finder graphicYou can find resources using one or more categories (Health topics, Age, Populations, Select geographical areas, Setting, Additional resources), and one or more topics in each category.

The number of boxes you check will affect how many results you get.

 

  • Checking boxes in more than one category will narrow your results.
  • Checking more than one topic within the SAME category will broaden your results (see examples below).

 

For best results, just check one main category at first (a specific health topic, population, age group, location, or setting). If you then need to narrow the results, check another topic from a different category.

Geographical area searches

  • Checking “Boston” will show resources that have Boston-specific information.
  • Checking ‘Boston” and “Massachusetts” will show resources that have Boston-specific information AND resources that have Massachusetts-specific information.

Too few results

If your results show too few resources or not what you’re looking for, try broader topics (“Cancer” instead of a specific type of cancer), or pick ONE main interest (“Children” or “Faith-based” setting) instead of multiple topics across categories. You could also try checking multiple topics WITHIN a category you’re interested in. For example:

Health topics

  • HPV 
  • Mental health 
  • Other health topic

This will give you:
All resources related to HPV 
AND
All resources related to mental health
AND
All resources that have to do with a health topic not listed

Too many results

If your results show too many resources, narrow the results by checking items under multiple categories. The more categories you check, the narrower (smaller) the results will be. For example:

Health topics

  • HPV 

Populations

  • Black, non-Hispanic
  • Brazilian 

This will give you:
All resources related to HPV in the Black, non-Hispanic community 
AND
All resources related to HPV in the Brazilian community

Adding more categories will further narrow your results. For example:

Health topics

  • HPV 

Populations

  • Black, non-Hispanic
  • Brazilian 

Select geographical area

  • Massachusetts

This will give you:
All resources related to HPV in the Black, non-Hispanic community in Massachusetts 
AND
All resources related to HPV in the Brazilian community in Massachusetts