Select the relevant collection
The INA catalogue separates national television, satellite and TNT television, regional television, radio and other holdings. It offers channel, transmission-date and title fields. Select the relevant collection before interpreting the size of a result set.
Imagine a researcher comparing coverage of a local festival across several years. Begin with regional television, the channel identity and a bounded transmission period. Search the festival's name and plausible title forms separately. A national feature may be useful later, but including it from the start can obscure the regional comparison.
Preserve the query and its scope
INA explains that a results-page URL can preserve the query criteria and applied facets for sharing or repeating. Copy that URL after useful filters are applied, then write a plain-English description of its scope beside it.
Keep a log containing collection, dates, channel, term and any exact-phrase choice. If the title changed or the festival has a regional spelling, record the alternative as a separate query. Another researcher can then see why the search was broadened, rather than assuming that the final results were comprehensive from the beginning.
Separate candidates from viewed programmes
INA notes that keyword searching covers textual fields that may not all be visible for legal reasons. A matching term may therefore be absent from the displayed description. Inspect identifiers and context before rejecting a result solely because its summary is short.
For each candidate, save the item reference separately from the search URL and note whether the full programme has actually been consulted. Use INA's consultation information for the next stage; catalogue discovery does not establish streaming access. The outcome is a repeatable discovery trail, with candidates clearly separated from viewed evidence.
For the festival comparison, retain a year-by-year candidate list beneath the saved queries. Note whether each item is a complete programme, a subject notice or another record type as described by the catalogue. An empty year should remain a search gap until consultation or further documentation explains it; it should not become evidence that the festival received no television coverage.
Questions about this guide
What does the saved results URL preserve?
INA says it includes the form's search criteria and facets applied to the initial result set.
Why might a searched term be absent from a notice?
Some searched textual fields are not displayed for legal reasons, according to INA.