What are inclusion and exclusion criteria? Are they different from search limits?
Yes, they are different! Inclusion and exclusion criteria are the specific rules you (or a researcher) decide on before you begin searching to determine exactly what kind of information is eligible for your project or research study.
- Inclusion criteria are your "must-haves." These are the elements that must be present in an article for you to use it.
- Exclusion criteria are your “dealbreakers.” These are the elements that immediately disqualify an article from your research.
Search limits are the actual clickable filters built into a database (like checking a "Peer-Reviewed" box or choosing a "Publication Date" range) that help you narrow down your search results.
Your criteria and your search limits will often overlap but remember: the criteria form your overall research strategy, and the search limits are how you carry out that strategy in the databases.
