How do I search in the Instructure Community?

You can use the Community search bar to find content in the Community. Suggested search results display as you type in the search bar, but you can also view all the results categorized by posts, users, or places.

To reduce the number of search results or to more easily find the ones you want, you can sort or filter the search results. You can also adjust the number of results that display per page.

Note: To search, you do not need to be signed in to the Community.

Search from Home Page

To search from the Community Home page, enter text in the Search bar. You can enter words, partial words, phrases, or questions.

Enter Optional Search Modifiers

By default, search results include any of the words as you enter. Optionally, you can use search modifiers for a more precise search. There are three options:

  • To search for an exact phrase, enclose the phrase in quotes [1].
  • To add an additional key word, enter a plus sign followed by a word [2].
  • To exclude a key word from the search results, enter a minus sign followed by a word [3].

Search by Location

If you are searching from a Community page other than the Home page, you can search specific areas of the Community. To select a search location, click the Search Location drop-down menu.

Select Search Location

In the Search Location drop-down menu, select one of the following options:

  • All Community: search the entire Community
  • This category: search the location of the current page
  • Knowledge base: search all knowledge bases (question forums, guides, groups, etc.)
  • Users: search only user profiles

View Suggested Results

As you type search criteria text, suggested search results display.

Each search result displays a title and details [1]. Details may include partial content, the number of comments or replies, and the result location.

Words that match your search text are highlighted [2].

To open suggested result content, click the result title link [3]. Alternatively, you can view all results.

View All Results

To view all results after entering search criteria, press the Enter key on your keyboard or click the Search icon [1].

To view search results, click any of the following tabs:

  • Posts [2]: view results located in product guides, question forums, groups, release notes, and other Community knowledge bases
  • Users [3]: view Community user profiles that match your search
  • Places [4]: view entire guides and Community locations that match your search

View Posts

The Posts tab [1] displays search results contained in guides, question forums, and other knowledge bases.

The total number of results displays [2].

Each result displays a location icon [3]. You can also view information about the author and the result location. To view an author's profile, click the author link [4]. To view all the contents of a location, click the location link [5].

To open a result, click the title link [6].

To view the result content within the current page, click the See more link [7].

Question forum posts that are solved display a check mark [8].

Note: The Posts page contains a default number of results per page. However, you can change the number of results per page.

Sort Posts

By default, results on the Posts page are sorted by best match to your search text. To sort by other post criteria, hover the cursor over the Sorted by menu [1]. Then, select one of the following sort options:

  • Date [2]: sort results by created date
  • Views [3]: sort results by number of views
  • Likes [4]: sort results by number of likes
  • Replies [5]:  sort results by number of replies
  • Best Match [6]: sort results by number of words that match your search text

To reverse the sort order, click the sort option again.

Filter Posts

By default, the Posts page displays all matching results. However, you can use filters to limit the results by location, author, date, metadata, type of post, and features the posts contain.

Learn more about filtering search results.

View User Results

The Users tab [1] displays search results contained in user names or ranks [2].

The total number of results displays [3].

Note: A default number of results displays on the Users page. However, you can change the number of results per page.

View User Details

Each result displays a user name link [1]. To open a user profile, click the user name link.

Each result also displays a Community rank [2], a full name [3], a number link to the posts the user has made [4], and the date the user joined the Community [5].

Sort User Results

By default, results on the Users page are sorted by best match to your search text. To sort by other user criteria, hover the cursor over the Sorted by menu [1]. Then, select one of the following sort options:

  • Username [2]: sort users by username
  • Rank [3]: sort users by rank
  • Posts [4]: sort users by number of posts they have posted
  • Registration Date [5]:  sort users by the date they joined the Community
  • Best Match [6]: sort users by the number of words that match your search text

To reverse the sort order, click the sort option again.

View Places Results

To view search results that are collections of posts (such as entire guides) or places in the Community, click the Places tab [1]. Each search result displays a title, description, and other details [2].

To open a search result, click the title link [3].