Use of Search Techniques
Many databases allow their users to employ advanced search strategies to refine users’ search requests. Although most databases use similar methods for conducting these types of searches, different databases will require different procedures. Therefore, it is important for a user planning to use advanced search it is important for a user planning to use these strategies to read the Help materials for that specific database.
Both truncation and wild cards allow the user to replace unknown letters in a search term with symbols. Various forms of the terms will be retrieved, and the number of results will be increased.
TRUNCATION
Definition:
Replacing the ending letters or suffix of a root word with a symbol, usually an asterisk (*), so that the search retrieves various forms of the term.
Example:
Search term: teach*
retrieves
teach, teacher, teaches, teaching, teaches
WILD CARDS
Definition:
A symbol, usually a question mark (?), used to replace one letter in a search term when the correct spelling is unknown or different variations are possible. The search will retrieve all terms spelled the same as the search term except with any character in the wild card slot.
Example:
Search term: diab?tes
retrieves
diabetes
Other Common Symbols Used As Wild Card or Truncation Symbols:
#,!, $
The following two search techniques increase the precision of your search, decreasing the number of results.
ENCLOSING PHRASES IN QUOTATION MARKS
Definition:
Enclosing search terms in quotation marks will only retrieve that exact phrase in your results list.
Example:
Search terms: “independent filmmaking”
retrieves
only results with the exact phrase independent filmmaking.
PROXIMITY SEARCHES
Definition:
Using specific operators such as n (next to) and w (within) to retrieve terms within a specified number of terms from each other.
Example:
Search terms: dog n5 grooming
retrieves
results with the word dog within five words of the word grooming regardless of word order. In other words, grooming could proceed dog and vice versa.
Example:
Search Terms: maple w2 pancakes
retrieves
results with the word maple within two words of the word pancakes that must be in the specified order. In other words, this search will only retrieve results in which maple precedes pancakes.
Remember to read the Help section in the database you are using to learn the exact procedures for using these search techniques!
This page was written by Leanna Miles in Spring 2005.
This page was revised by Henry Stokes in Spring 2006.
INF 382S: Library Instruction and Information Literacy, taught by Dr. Loriene Roy
School of Information,
The University of Texas at Austin