Search Strategies: Search Tips and Tricks

The databases offer features and tools that manipulate search results.  Learning how to effectly use these tools can reduce frustration and increase results. Searching methods can vary from one database to another, however most offer a basic search and an advanced search function.  Depending on the goal of the search will depend on which search function to use.

Basic Search:

Typically, the basic search box only searches one field, which may or my not be predetermined. In most cases this is set to keyword, or search all fields.  The basic search is useful to determine how big the collection of articles related to the topic is, which will help in generating search strategies.  It is also helpful when doing a known search, such as an author or an exact title. 

Advanced Search:

Advanced search functions provide more control to the user, and allows for a more refined search.  Multiple search terms in multiple fields can be search simulaneouly.  This search function should be used when the collection of information is large and needs to be narrowed.  It is also useful when information from more than one field would assist in locating items of interest such as when looking for an author with a common name.  By combining a subject term, the results would be narrowed to that individual's work or material that refers to that author's work.

Limits:

Many databases have limits that contol the available articles by specific parameters such as date, format, material type, language or location.  These options can narrow the focus of results to only the parameters established.  In Discovery, these limits are located in the left hand column of search results.

 In many databases, online catalogues and internet search engines it is possible to refine results using a technique called "truncation".  Truncation allows you to search for variant forms of a word as a single search concept, rather than identifying and entering variant words of the keyword as individual concepts.  Variations of words in keyword searches can be searched simply by adding or replacing characters at the ends, beginning, or middle of the word with a truncation symbol, also known as a Wildcard.  Wildcards are inserted in the place of letters that would vary depending on the usage. 

For example:

 

 

Wildcard Characters:

 Single Character  ?

• The single character wildcard is the question mark ?. Use ? to replace any single character in a term. The ? is a replacement wildcard that is, there must be a character in the wildcard position to register a match.
• You can use two or more single character wildcards in the same term, if necessary.

 

 

 Multiple Character   *

• The multiple character wildcard is the asterisk (or star) *. Use * to replace 0 or more characters in a term.
• You can use two or more multiple character wildcards in the same term, if necessary.

 

 

 Synonym (or Thesaurus)  $

• The synonym wildcard is the dollar sign $. Since $ looks like an S, you can remember that it applies to Synonym searches.
• Use $ to find synonyms of a term. You cannot specify usage for the synonym. For example, searching for synonyms of address could find items for both location ("What is your address?") and speech ("He addressed the audience").
• Note that the $ must appear at the end of the term and you cannot mix it with any other wildcards in the same term.

 

 Word Form (or Stem)  %

• The word form wildcard is the percentage sign %. Use % to find forms of a term. Word forms are defined by the parts of speech — singular, plural, past tense, present tense, future tense, etc.
• You do not need to specify a root word to perform a word form search. A word form search on long (a root word) should produce the same results as a word form search on longer.
• Note that the % must appear at the end of the term and you cannot with it any other wildcards in the same term.

 

Boolean searches allow you to combine words and phrases using the words AND, OR, NOT (otherwise known as Boolean operators) to limit, widen, or define your search.