Search Help
Search - FAQ
- Where is the Search field?
- What can I do to get better Search results?
- What sorting options are available?
- How can I narrow (filter) my Search results?
- How do Search filters work?
- Why did some of the filters disappear during my Search?
- Can I get results for a specific word or phrase?
- Can I get results that include and/or exclude certain words?
- What is "Did you mean?"
- Does spelling matter?
- Will I get different results with capitalization?
- Can I Search the Web from CBSNews.com?
At the top and bottom of every Web page on CBS News, you'll see a search field like the one above. Just type in a keyword (dolphin) or phrase (bottle nosed dolphin) and click on the "GO" button. We will provide you with results for stories, videos, blogs, and photos based on the keyword(s) you entered. By default, the most recent content will be displayed first.
Click on the links for Relevance, Type or Date to rearrange the results.
Click on the links for each filter:
- By Type
- By Year/Month
- By Time Period
- By CBS Site
- By Section
- By Show
to narrow the search results by these specific criteria.
What can I do to get better Search results?
Be as specific as possible when choosing keywords and phrases for your search. For instance, the phrase (car insurance) will provide a more concise and relevant list of results than typing the keywords (insurance) or (car) if you are looking for information about insurance for a vehicle.
What sorting options are available?
You can easily rearrange the Search results by clicking on the Relevance, Type, or Date links above the results:
- Relevance displays the results that most closely match your keyword(s) based on an algorithm built into the Search tool.
- Type separates the results into content for Stories first followed by any Videos, Blogs, and Photos that are available for the keyword(s) you entered.
- Date organizes the results so that the most recent content is shown first.
How can I narrow (filter) my Search results?
Sometimes there are so many Search results that it seems overwhelming to find the information you really wanted to read or watch. Try narrowing the results by clicking on the filters to the right of the Search results. It's as easy as 1-2-3!
1. Click on the links for each filter:
- By Type
- By Year/Month
- By Time Period
- By CBS Site
- By Section
- By Show
to narrow the search results by these specific criteria.
2. Click on more filters to narrow the results even more
3. To remove filter just click on the "remove" link next to the filter's name at the top of the results
Clicking on a filter will rearrange the results to only show content for that filter. For instance, if you only want to see videos for the "space station," click on the "Videos" link under the "By Type" filter (see picture above). Now you will only see videos for the keyword "space station".
If you change your mind and want to see just stories, blogs, or photos, just click on the corresponding filter links.
The number in parentheses next to each filter indicates how many results are available for that filter category.
Description of Search Filters:
- By Type - Use this filter to restrict the Search results to show only Stories, Videos, Blogs, or Photos.
- By Year/Month - Use this filter to restrict the Search results to a specific Year and/or Month.
- By Time Period - Use this filter to restrict the Search results to a specific date or range of time.
- By CBS Site - Use this filter to restrict the Search results to CBS owned or associated sites.
- By Section - Use this filter to restrict the Search results to sections (U.S., World, Politics, Entertainment, etc.) of CBS sites.
- By Show - Use this filter to restrict the Search results to specific CBS shows (CBS Evening News, 60 Minutes, 48 Hours, etc.)
Why did some of the filters disappear during my Search?
Depending on the keyword(s) you entered, there may not be content for a given filter. In this case, the filter is not displayed.
Can I get results for a specific word or phrase?
Yes. If you want the Search results to include an exact word or phrase match simply use quotation marks at the beginning and end of the keyword(s). For instance, entering "arizona forest fires" will return results only contain that phrase.
Can I get results that include and/or exclude certain words?
Yes. If you want the Search results to include more than one keyword, put a plus sign ( + ) before each word. To exclude certain keywords, put a minus
sign ( - ) before each word. Make sure you place the ( + or - ) sign
immediately before the term you want included or excluded. Here are some examples:bass +fish = results for bass relating to fish
bass -fish = all results for bass including fish, music, and any other references
If you reach a Search results page with no results, we'll try to assist you. When a keyword(s) does not match content on our site, we'll provide a link to content we think you might have been looking for on our site. Anytime you see a link labeled: "Did you mean?" you can explore our suggestions.
Yes. Spelling is important. A misspelled word may return results that omit relevant matches or may provide content that does not match your intended search at all.
Will I get different results with capitalization?
No. Capitalization does not matter when entering a search. Searches for (Super Bowl) and (super bowl) will return the same results.
Can I Search the Web from CBSNews.com?
Yes. We can help you find information from anywhere on the Web. Just select "The Web" option in the drop-down field next to the Search field as shown above and your search results will include content from all across the Internet - without even leaving our site.
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