Search rules
- Enter search terms in the Search Term box ❶.
- The default is to search for ALL terms entered -- which is a Boolean AND search. For example, a search on youth violence is the same as a search for youth AND violence. This means that you don't have to use the AND operator within a row, but if you prefer to do so you can.
- Use WCD's truncation and wildcard symbols to expand or focus searches.
| Symbols |
Usage |
Examples |
|
TRUNCATION
*
|
- Add the asterisk (*) to the end of a search term to retrieve variant endings.
- Search returns results with 0 or more characters in place of the truncation symbol.
- A minimum of three characters must precede the symbol.
|
connect* retrieves connect, connection, connectivity, etc.
individual* retrieves individual, individuals, individualism, individuality |
|
WILDCARDS
# and ?
|
- The number sign (#) replaces one character in or at the end of a search term.
- A minimum of three characters must precede the symbol.
|
photograph# retrieves photograph, photographs (but not photographer)
wom#n retrieves woman, women |
- The question mark (?) replaces 0 to 9 unknown characters in a search term.
|
lab?r retrieves labor, labour
encyclop?dia retrieves encyclopedia, encyclopaedia |
- To search for an exact phrase, put quotation marks around your search terms: "youth violence".
- For more controlled searching, use parentheses: prevent* ("youth violence" OR "juvenile delinquen*").
- Choose the field(s) you want to search in the Search Index box ➋. When conducting a general search, the keyword field is normally the best one to use. Other fields available from the pull-down menu include Title, Author, Abstract, Subject, and Source Title (=in many cases: journal title).
- Choose the appropriate operator from the operator box ➌ if you want to add more search terms to your search, for example, a particular author.
- If you need more search boxes for your search, click on Add row ➍.
Within Advanced Search, options to limit your search are available under 'Search Tools' at the bottom of the screen ➎.
Limiters appear in the following order:
- Only return peer-reviewed articles;
- Open Access;
- Format (e.g., book, e-book, article, etc.);
- Language;
- Audience (juvenile or not juvenile)
- Publication year;
- Any content (e.g., fiction, non-fiction);
- Library holdings: Libraries Worldwide, Libraries in the Netherlands, Tilburg University Library.
