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Use multiple words Example: tests and services | |||||
Use similar words Example: safe secure privacy security | |||||
Use appropriate capitalization Example: Cardiovascular Imaging | |||||
Use quotation marks Example: "our service to you" | |||||
Use plus (+) or minus (-) Example: +"template language" | |||||
Use field searches
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Use wildcards
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Check spelling
Make sure your search terms are spelled correctly. The
search engine will attempt to find words that sound similar
to your search terms, but it is always best to try to spell
the search terms correctly.
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Use multiple words
Use multiple words when performing your search. The search
results will return more refined results from several words
than from a single word. For example, typing clinical trials
will return more relevant results than
typing only clinical . (Keep in
mind, relevant results are returned even if they don't contain
all query terms.)
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Use similar words
The more similar words you use in a search, the more relevant
results you will get back.
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Use appropriate capitalization
Capitalize proper nouns. Lowercase words will match any case.
For example, typing contracts will return all documents containing the
words contracts, Contracts, and CONTRACTS.
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Use quotation marks
Use quotation marks to find words which must appear adjacent
to each other, for example, "our service to you."
Otherwise, the search results will include the word our
, service, to
, and the word
you
,
but not necessarily in that order. The words may appear anywhere, and
in any order, within the document.
Note: if you are using the Advanced Search Form with radio buttons for
"any," "all," and "phrase," then quotes can only be
used when the "any" radio button is selected. Quotes are ignored
if the Advanced Search Form "all" or "phrase" radio button
is selected.
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Use plus (+) or minus (-)
Use a plus sign when your search term or phrase must appear
in the search results. Use a minus sign to indicate undesirable
term(s). The plus sign tells the search engine that a certain word
or phrase is required in the search results, and a minus sign
indicates that a word or phrase must be absent in the search
results.
Note: A phrase must be contained within quotation marks. Leave
no spaces between the plus or minus sign and the term.
Note: if you are using the Advanced Search Form with radio buttons for
"any," "all," and "phrase," then plus and minus can only be
used when the "any" radio button is selected. Plus and minus are ignored
if the Advanced Search Form "all" or "phrase" radio button
is selected.
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Use field searches
Field searches allow you to create specific searches for words that
appear in a specific part of a document. A field search
can be performed on body text (body:), title text (title:),
alt text (alt:), meta description (desc:), meta key words
(keys:) or URL (url:). The field name should be in lowercase
and immediately followed by a colon. There should be no spaces
between the colon and the search term.
Note: The field searches can only be followed by a word or
phrase. Phrases must be contained within quotation
marks.
Note: if you are using the Advanced
Search Form with a list box for the field name, then field names can only be
entered before a word or phrase when the "any" option is selected. Specific
field names are ignored if any other Advanced Search Form field is selected in
the list box.
Use wildcards
Wildcard searches can expand the number of matches for a particular
request. The *
character is used as the
wildcard character.
For instance, searching for wh*
will find the words what
,
why
, when
, whether
,
and any other word that starts with wh
.
Searching for *her*
will find the words here
, whether
,
together
, gathering
,
and any other word that contains her
anywhere in the word.
Wildcards may be combined with the standard plus (+) and minus (-)
modifiers, quotes for phrases, as well as the field search specifiers.
+wh* -se*ch
will find all pages which have
a word that starts with wh
and which does
not contain a word that starts with se
and
ends with ch
.
"wh* are"
will find the phrases where are
, what are
,
why are
, etc.
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