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Ovid databases

Guide to using Ovid databases

Applying limits to your results

Limits offer the option to refine your search according to criteria that are difficult to search using text words, e.g. the type of article, publication date, age group, language of publication, etc. 

It's worth noting that some Ovid limits, such as the 'Humans' limit, will only retrieve those articles that have been indexed with subject headings. Using these limits can therefore mean that you miss relevant articles that have not been indexed, and so your search may not be comprehensive.

Click the Limits link underneath the search box in 'Advanced Search' to view a selection of the most popular limits. Select one (or more) of them and type into the search box the number of the search line you wish to limit. Click Search and your limited search will appear as an additional line in your search history. 

Ovid limits

If you need more extensive limit options, click Additional limits. To use them, click the radio button alongside the search you wish to limit and make selections from the menus, then click the Limit A Search button.

Ovid: Adding limits to a search