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PHC200 Research Skills Guide: Primo Search

What is Primo Search?

Primo Search allows you to use one search box to bring back results from most of the Charles Sturt University Library collection, such as:

  • Books, eBooks, DVDs and journals
  • Most online journal articles and newspaper articles
  • Charles Sturt University research papers and theses

Enter your search terms in Primo Search, and then use the links on the results screen to refine your results, view online material, or locate physical resources.

Uses and considerations

Primo Search is useful because:

  • You are searching across many resources at once, in the one search
  • You will get different types of materials in your results
  • You can use the refiners at the left of the results screen to narrow your results in many different ways.

Things to keep in mind when searching in Primo Search:

  • You might get too many results
  • The search functions are limited compared to other search tools
  • Because of the way the searching works, you might get results that aren't very relevant.

If you find that you are not getting good results from Primo Search, try searching in a database or package of databases.

Activity

Use Primo Search and try searching for:

"social determinants" health Australia

Alternatively, try searching for the keywords you identified in your topic analysis.

  • Notice the number of results you get? All of these are all available to you through the Library's subscriptions and holdings.
  • Try limiting the publication date to the most recent material.
  • Limit to books or articles to see what is available in each format.
  • If you find there is a mix of topics use the Topic limiter to make your results more relevant.

What is Primo Search?

Find your subject readings

Further resources

We have a detailed guide and short videos to help you search, find and request items in Primo Search:

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