Q. What are limiters and how can I use them?
Limiters
Many databases in the A-Z Database List allow users to limit their search results by certain criteria (these are called "limiters" or sometimes "filters").
These options are often located somewhere on the database search page or results in drop-down menus or checkboxes. Sometimes limiters are available on an "Advanced Search" page within a database or online catalog.
Some common and useful limiters include the date of publication, material type, full text, peer-reviewed articles only, language, and more.
For example, if you use the limiter "Material Type" to limit your search results to journal articles, then when you search for your topic the only type of material you should get as a result will be journal articles.
By limiting your results, you are able to find precise resources for your research project.
Most Useful For
Allows users to narrow down search results by various criteria (e.g. scholarly sources only)
Allows users to find results based on very specific criteria (e.g. date of publication)
Cautions
Available limiters may vary from database to database
Using too many limiters or poorly chosen limiters may bring back few or no results
For more information about using limiters for research, check out Database Searching or Finding Peer-Reviewed Psychology Articles.