Q. I'm getting no results when I search for articles in a library database. What should I do?

If you are getting no results or too few results when searching in an article database, you will need to broaden your search. 

• You may want to think of synonyms for your keywords - are there other ways to describe your topic? 
• Check the Boolean connectors (AND, OR, NOT) you chose - have you combined too many terms in one search?  
• If your topic is extremely specific, it is possible that there won't be a perfect article that addresses all aspects of it - but there will probably be articles that are more general or that address at least one aspect of your topic from which you can draw conclusions.

As always, librarians are available to help you devise a successful search strategy. Contact your librarian or ask a librarian now - we can help by phone, email, virtually, or in person!