General Site Search Tips

Using our search function can be as easy as typing a word or phrase into the search box and clicking the "GO" button. Our general site search is supported by Google and uses the familiar Google interface. To make the most of your search, here are a few tips for choosing search terms that will return the most relevant results:

• Use keywords to search.
  You'll find the most accurate results by typing words or short phrases—rather than full sentences and questions—into the search box.

  Example: If your question is "How do employers benefit by supporting working mothers who breastfeed?" good search terms might be:

  • breastfeeding mothers
  • working mothers breastfeed
  • employers mothers breastfeeding

• Choose keywords carefully.
  The best search terms are descriptive and specific. Enclosing a few or all of your keywords in quotation marks can help you locate pages that contain an exact phrase, such as a person's full name or a book title.

  Example: If you're in need of a very specific article, you might perform the following search:

  • "The Glass Ceiling Phenomenon"

• Results.
  Your search results are displayed by order of relevancy. To help refine results, you may select one of twelve search filters presented at the top of the results page.
  
  
• Experiment.
  If your initial search results aren’t quite what you're looking for, you can change, delete, or add keywords in the search box.
  
  

For more tips on refining your general site search technique, please visit the Google Basics of Search guide.