Using what you've already found to find more

There are many ways to expand your research using the results of your initial search.

• Scan through titles, abstracts, and introductions to discover additional keywords to try.
• Try searching for more items by the author of an item you have already found.
• Most databases have subject headings (sometimes called descriptors or keywords) that are assigned to each item. These terms are the official vocabulary for all items in the database on the same topic.
• Don’t forget to check the bibliography or literature cited sections of the items you have already found.

Forward citation searching

You may want to determine whether and by whom a given work has been cited after its publication – essentially, you’re wanting to know if other, newer works have included it in their reference lists. This is called forward citation searching.

Citation searching in library search

You can use Library Search for citation searching using its Find Sources Citing This tool which appears in the tools list at the end of a record in the results list.

Screenshot of the Library Search tool icon for Find Sources Citing This which is two red arrows pointing upward.

Citation searching with Google Scholar

You can use Google Scholar for citation searching using its Cited By tool, which will appear at the end of a record in the results list.

Citation searching with Web of Science

You can use Web of Science for citation searching using its Citations tool, which will appear at the end of a record in the results list.