Content Commons Documentation
Click on the links below for how-to guides on each subject. Please use Google Chrome for the best experience.

Searching for Content

As of September 2019, Content Commons allows users to search from Article and Video content from a variety of sources.

  1. Access the main homepage for Content Commons through the following URL: https://commons.america.gov/.

    The Search bar is located near the top of the page.

Content Commons Search Bar

  1. Before inputting your search term, select which language you would like to search in.

    Use the drop-down language selector located at the left of the search bar to select your language.

Search Language Selector

  1. Type your search term or phrase into the search bar.

  2. Press enter or click the magnifying glass icon on the right side of the search bar to execute your search.

Search Magnify Glass

After executing your search, you will be directed to the Search Results page and your current search term will be displayed at the top.

The total number of search result items is displayed below your search term.

Search Result Number

To narrow down your search results, you can apply filters:

  • Publish date: Anytime, Last 24 Hours, Past Week, Past Month, Past Year
  • Format: Article, Video
  • Source: Select from the available content sources.
  • Category: Select from the available content categories.

Search Filter Options

By default, all results display in a gallery view. To switch to a list view, use the icons located to the top right of the content results.

Search Gallery or List

To update the number of items listed on the page, use the drop-down selector below the display icons to choose a higher display quantity.

Search Number Items on Page

By default, all results display according to a weighted relevance. This can be changed to most recent by selecting the drop down at the top left of the content list.

Search Relevancy

If you are having issues searching for content, please refer to the Help Page for more information.