Search tips
When starting a search, think about using features that enhance the efficiency of your search and help you find the specific content you need. The system automatically detects all forms and variations of the words you enter. Generally, there is no need for wildcards or truncation. The search results will include items containing all the words, regardless of their order or location within the record.
Below are tips to help you conduct effective searches.
Wildcards
The asterisk (*) acts as a wildcard, replacing one or more characters in a word. It helps you find different forms or spellings of words. You can place it at the beginning, the middle or the end of a word.
At the beginning of a word
Example
*second
Finds words that end with "second" (e.g., nanosecond, femtosecond).
At the end of a word
Example
surg*
Finds words that start with "surg" (e.g., surge, surgery, surgeon). To maintain relevance, avoid excessive shortening to the end of the word.
In the middle of a word
Example
p*diatric
Finds words with different spellings (e.g., pediatric and paediatric).
In the middle and at the end of a word
Example
r*nforc*
Finds words that begin with "r", followed by any characters, then "nforc", and ends with any characters (e.g., reinforce, reinforced, reinforcement, renforce, renforcement).
In a name
Example
Ton*That
Finds names with or without a hyphen (e.g., "Ton-That" or "Ton That").
Phrases
A phrase search generates results in the exact order you type the phrase. It is useful when you are looking for a specific term, name, or title. To make a phrase search, add quotation marks around your search terms.
Example 1
"layer surface"
Finds results with the exact terms "layer surface" and not "surface layer".
Example 2
"arrow 2"
Finds results with this exact phrase, making your search more accurate.
Advanced Search
The advanced search allows you to use multiple search boxes to narrow down your results.
All of these words
Example
All of these words: water trace metals
Finds results that include all the words you type, plus their variations.
Any of these words
Example
Any of these words: spectrometer, spectromètre, espectrómetro
Finds results that have at least one of the words you type. This function is helpful for different languages.
None of these words
Example
All of these words: herzberg
None of these words: letter speech
Excludes results that have the words you type. Finds items with "herzberg" but not "letter" nor "speech".
Year
Finds results published in the year or range of years you choose.
Example 1
From: 2015 To: 2020
Finds results published between 2015 and 2020.
Example 2
From: 2018
Finds results published from 2018 onward.
Example 3
To: 2016
Finds results published from 2016 or earlier.
Are you looking for items in a specific collection? The advanced search is useful for selecting one or more specific collections to be searched.
Filters
Filters on the search results page can help you to narrow your results.
To use filters:
- On the results page, find Filter your results
- Select the filters you need.
- Click Apply Filters to update your results.
- Date modified: