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Searching this database
The protocols for searching databases are often similar, but, to use a particular database effectively, it helps to learn its specific approach to important functions, like how to conduct an unrestricted search or how to use quotation marks to search for particular phrases.
The help guidelines you are reading use a simple mock database to explain this bibliographic database (see the table to the right). Our mock database tracks shirts in a catalogue according to their size, color, and style (short or long sleeve). This database has only five records, one for each type of shirt. In the illustrations below, we'll shade a particular record (a particular shirt) to indicate that record would be selected if you searched the database as described. Note that the entire record will be shaded even though you might have only searched for data in one part of the record--because this database will always return an entire record for any successful search, not just part of the record. Underlining in the mock database below indicates that the search "hit" or found that particular text, even though the search engine will return the entire record.
Note: What you input to conduct a search in the CCCC Bibliography database is not case sensitive (searching for "writing" and "WRITING" will produce the same results).
|
rec # |
size |
color |
style |
1 |
s |
brick red |
short |
2 |
s |
red |
long |
3 |
m |
forest green |
short |
4 |
l |
kelly green |
long |
5 |
xl |
blue |
short |
|
Unrestricted Searching
If you leave the search input window empty, the search engine will return everything in the database.
If you were to hit the search button after leaving the input widow blank, the search engine would return all five records in our mock database (as indicated by the shaded areas to the right).
|
rec # |
size |
color |
style |
1 |
s |
brick red |
short |
2 |
s |
red |
long |
3 |
m |
forest green |
short |
4 |
l |
kelly green |
long |
5 |
xl |
blue |
short |
|
Singular Term Searching
To search for a singular term/name/text, simply enter your query and click "search."
For example, if you search for GREEN, the database will return records #3 and #4.
|
rec # |
size |
color |
style |
1 |
s |
brick red |
short |
2 |
s |
red |
long |
3 |
m |
forest green |
short |
4 |
l |
kelly green |
long |
5 |
xl |
blue |
short |
|
Multiple Term Searching: exact match
To locate multiple terms/names/texts that match you query exactly, enclose your query in quotation marks.
For example, if you search for "FOREST GREEN", the database will return record #3. Note: if you input "GREEN FOREST" (with the quotation marks), no records will be returned.
|
rec # |
size |
color |
style |
1 |
s |
brick red |
short |
2 |
s |
red |
long |
3 |
m |
forest green |
short |
4 |
l |
kelly green |
long |
5 |
xl |
blue |
short |
|
Multiple Term Searching: Bollean "Or"
In conversational logic, the word "and" tends to seem more inclusive, compared to "or" which seems more restrictive. However, the opposite is true in Bollean logic. Think of it this way: if you bought all shirts that were either red or short-sleeve from our mock catalogue, you would buy four shirts. But, if you bought all shirts that were both red and short-sleeve, you would buy only one shirt.
To locate any records that contain any of the terms in your search, do not enclose the terms in quotation marks. Under advanced search, use the Bollean "or" mode for this type of search ("or" is the default in both the simple and advanced searches).
For example, if you search for RED SHORT, the database will return records #1,#2,#3,#5.
|
rec # |
size |
color |
style |
1 |
s |
brick red |
short |
2 |
s |
red |
long |
3 |
m |
forest green |
short |
4 |
l |
kelly green |
long |
5 |
xl |
blue |
short |
|
Multiple Term Searching: Bollean "And"
To locate any records that contain both of the terms in your search, you must use the advanced search feature. Under advanced search, use the Bollean "and" mode for this type of search ("or" is the default in both the simple and advanced searches). Note: as long as you do not enclose your terms in quotation marks, it does not matter the order you input you terms, and it does not matter what order the terms appear in the records themselves.
For example, if you search for RED SHORT with the Bollean mode set to "and", the database will return record only #1.
|
rec # |
size |
color |
style |
1 |
s |
brick red |
short |
2 |
s |
red |
long |
3 |
m |
forest green |
short |
4 |
l |
kelly green |
long |
5 |
xl |
blue |
short |
|
Restricting Searches by Field
Our mock database has four categories: record number, size, color, and style. In database speak, these categories are called "fields," and the name of each field is indicated at the top of each column in the table to the right. It can be very useful to restrict searches according to field. For example, if you wanted to find all of the small shirts, you could not do so merely by inputting S because that search would return every instance of S in the database. However, you could isolate every small shirt by searching for S only within the "size" field. Restricted searches are available only through the advanced search feature.
For example, if you search for S while restricting your search only to the "size" field, the mock database will return records #1 and #2.
|
rec # |
size |
color |
style |
1 |
s |
brick red |
short |
2 |
s |
red |
long |
3 |
m |
forest green |
short |
4 |
l |
kelly green |
long |
5 |
xl |
blue |
short |
|
Limiting Searches
You can also perform complex searches by limiting and restricting your searches in a variety of ways. Although our mock database is pretty simple, The CCCC Bibliography can be limited in highly robust ways using the advanced search feature. You can limit your searches according to year, primary classification, and reference type. These limits can be combined with restricted searches in complex ways. For instance, you could search for everything authored by Gary Olson between 1988 and 1994 classified under "2.1 rhetorical theory."
For example, if you limit your search in our mock database to all SHORT shirts that are M or larger, the database will return records #3 and #5.
|
rec # |
size |
color |
style |
1 |
s |
brick red |
short |
2 |
s |
red |
long |
3 |
m |
forest green |
short |
4 |
l |
kelly green |
long |
5 |
xl |
blue |
short |
|
Note on Searching for Personal Names
Since this database is bibliographic, users are likely to want to search for specific people/authors. The easiest way is to perform a simple search for the author's last name. But, if you need to restrict the search more tightly, the next best option is probably to do the following under advanced search:
- type the author's first and last names separated by a white space (no initials, at least at first),
- select Bollean mode "and,"
- narrow the search to the "author" field if you are interested only in material written by that author (not about that author),
- revise and narrow the search further to refine results.
This procedure can solve the problem of authors' listed inconsistently (for example: last-name-listed-first versus first-name-listed-first, inconsistencies in the use of initials, etc.)
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