It all depends on what you are searching for. You have to remember that the optical character thingy is by no means perfect (and when you see the state of the print in some of the papers, you can see why!) I always use the 'Advanced Search' facility and usually start with what I am looking for by putting it in the "the phrase" box. When the list of 'hits' appears you can whittle it down by selecting an approximate date (if you know it). If you know the area you can choose that too by using the filters. If you can't find what you are looking for, try, say in a search for someone's name, just putting the surname in the "all of these words" box, along with, perhaps, the name of the place they came from. That might bring up more than you bargained for, but you may find others of the family you weren't even looking for! Also, in the case of searching for a name, try looking for the surname with just an initial in the phrase box, ie A. Smith rather than Agnes Smith, or even Miss Smith (don't try looking for too many of those ). To narrow that sort of search down you can also put a place in the "all of these words box" or choose a county or area from the filter boxes. Sometimes, in the case of something like an inquest (if you can't find an entry for the name you want) if you know the approximate date the inquest may have taken place, choose the area where the person died, than find the year and then search for the word coroner or inquest. That should bring you up mentions of inquests or coroner's courts and you can search through them in the hope the one you are looking for may be there. It is very difficult to try and explain all the little ways you can find something, it really is a case of try, try and try again. Patience, in this case, really can be a virtue. Hope that this might help a bit Ann
