Boolean Operators | Wildcard
and Truncation | Proximity | Parentheses
| Quotation Marks |
Guided Search | Search Builder
Limiters
and Expanders |
Special Limiters | Suggest
Subject Terms
And - combines search terms so that each search result contains all of the terms. For example, education and technology finds articles that contain both terms.
Or - combines search terms so that each search result contains at least one of the terms. For example, education or technology finds results that contain either term.
Not - excludes terms so that each search result does not contain any of the terms that follow it. For example, education not technology finds results that contain the term education but not the term technology.
Use the wildcard and truncation symbols to create searches where there are unknown characters, multiple spellings or various endings. Neither the wildcard nor the truncation symbol can be used as the first character in a search term.
The wildcard is represented by a question mark (?). To use the wildcard, enter your search terms and replace each unknown character with a ?. EBSCOhost finds all citations of that word with the ? replaced by a letter.
For example, type ne?t to find all citations containing neat, nest or next. EBSCOhost does not find net because the wildcard replaces a single character.
Truncation is represented by an asterisk (*). To use truncation, enter the root of a search term and replace the ending with an *. EBSCOhost finds all forms of that word.
For example, type comput* to find the words computer or computing.
You can use a proximity search to search for two or more words that occur within a specified number of words (or fewer) of each other in the databases. Proximity searching is used with a keyword or Boolean search.
The proximity operators are composed of a letter (N or W) and a number (to specify the number of words). The proximity operator is placed between the words that are to be searched, as follows:
Near Operator (N) - N5 finds the words if they are within five words of one another regardless of the order in which they appear.
For example, type tax N5 reform to find results that would match tax reform as well as reform of income tax.
Within Operator (W) - In the following example, W8 finds the words if they are within eight words of one another and in the order in which you entered them.
For example, type tax W8 reform to find results that would match tax reform but would not match reform of income tax.
Parentheses also may be used to control a search query. Without parentheses, a search is executed from left to right. Words that you enclose in parentheses are searched first. Why is this important? Parentheses allow you to control and define the way the search will be executed. The left phrase in parentheses is searched first; then, based upon those results, the second phrase in parentheses is searched.
Generalized Search: dog or cat and show or parade
Focused Search: (dog or cat) and (show or parade)
In the first example, the search will retrieve everything on dog or cat shows AS WELL AS everything on parades, whether or not the articles refer to dogs or cats.
In the second example, we have used the parentheses to control our query to only find articles about shows or parades that reference dogs or cats.
Typically, when a phrase is enclosed by double quotations marks, the exact phrase is searched. This is not true of phrases containing stop words. A stop word will never be searched for in an EBSCOhost database, even if it is enclosed in double quotation marks. A search query with stop words only (i.e. no other terms) yields no results.
If the guided search fields are displayed, you can enter text on all three lines, select field codes from the drop-down list, and select Boolean operators to connect search terms. After you click Search, the input from all three lines is joined together. And takes precedence over or when grouping items together. Parentheses are assigned based on this logic. To force grouping, you can enter the parentheses or place "grouped" expressions together in a single input field.
Database-specific help provides more information on which default fields and/or searchable fields are available with a database. From any of the Search Screens, click the Database Help link.
If the search builder feature is displayed, you can enter search terms in the Find field, and enter additional terms in the Terms field, select a field code from drop-down list, then select the Boolean operator (and, or, not) you want to "join" the term to the search you are building in the Find field. Each time you click Add to Search, the added terms are surrounded by parentheses. You can also group terms together by entering a Boolean search string in the search builder Add field. You can also combine searches available in your search history with search builder to retrieve a search and then refine it again.
You can also select any limiters or expanders available on the Refine Search sub-tab. When you have entered your search terms and selected any search options, click Search. Your search results are displayed. To print, email or save several search results, you should add them to the folder.
Your library administrator selects which search modes and search options are displayed.
If you are searching more than one database, on the Refine Search sub-tab the limiters common to the databases appear under the Limit your results heading. If you select any of the common limiters, they are applied to all databases you are searching. A limiter will appear in the common limiters section only if it is available in all the databases you selected. If a limiter is available in three of four databases you selected, it will be displayed in the special limiters section of those three databases.
The database-specific limiters appear under the heading Special limiters for: Database Name. (e.g., Special limiters for: Academic Search Premier) If you select a special limiter, it is applied only to the database under which it appears. For example, you might select the Publication type limiter below Academic Search Premier, and need to select it again below Newspaper Source.
Some databases offer the Suggest subject terms search feature on Advanced Search. For a single database, you can enter search terms and mark the Suggest subject terms check box. When you click Search, the corresponding thesaurus is searched and the most appropriate terms are displayed. If you search using only limiters, "Suggest" is ignored. If you conduct a fielded search at the command line (e.g., AU Smith) “Suggest” is ignored.