1. If possible, provide separate search boxes for the search and "search within" functions.

   
   
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2. "Search within" acts as a type of refinement, so visually group the separate "search within" box with the faceted navigation menu and any selected facet values (e.g., shown within a breadbox).

   

   This is typically either at the top of the left-hand side of a vertical stack or directly above the result set, depending on the placement of the breadbox to convey its function as a refinement feature. The global search box, in contrast, should consistently be made available in the page header to convey its function as a global utility.
   

   
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3. Use labels to differentiate between the search box and the "search within" box.

   

   If the search and "search within" functions are presented as separate fields, use a clear label to clearly indicate that the "search within" box performs a different function than the global search box, for example:
   •    "Narrow your search."
   •    "Refine your results."
   •    "Search within results."
   

   
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4. Place a clearly labeled action button adjacent to the text box for the user to select to execute the query.

   
   
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5. The "search within" action must only apply to the current result set.

6. Consider carefully whether or not to use auto-suggest functionality as part of the "search within" function.

   While category matching and other complex auto-suggest support can be useful for global search, simple term or phrase mapping may be more appropriate for "search within", as the goal is to focus the user's term and prevent spelling errors. Also, work with technical consultants to determine the impact on performance. Often it will not be worth it to offer auto-suggest for this function.

   • There is no control over what keyword the user will enter into the "search within" box, so there is always the risk of the system returning a null result set.
     
   • The auto-suggest parameters should switch if the user toggles a shared search box from “global search” to "search within".
     
   
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7. If the "global search" and "search within" functions share a common box, use a control such as a radio button or checkbox to toggle the function of the input.

   

   If possible, don’t offer this option until a set of search results has been returned.
   

   
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8. If the user toggles to the "search within" function, remove the current search query from the text field.

   • Ensure that the search term is captured in the breadbox so as not to rely on the search field as the sole indicator of navigation context.
     
   
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Keeping the current search query in an editable search box and at the same time offering a "search within" capability can confuse the user.