Advanced Search Examples

Here are some ways to do Advanced Searches. The database you are using may or may not be set up with these particular indexes, but the principle is the same.

Example 1: Using the Keyword and Entire Document/Full Text Indexes

	Keyword (ke)	television
AND	Keyword (ke)	satellite
AND	Entire Document (tx)	competition

This is a search for articles about the satellite television industry that mention competition. One way to achieve success in an Advanced Search is to experiment with different indexes. Finding a word in the Keyword or Subject index is best, but the Entire Document index, especially in combination, can be an effective search tool.

Example 2: Using the Author and Publication Title Indexes

	Author (au)	felisa yang
AND	Publication Title (pu)	computer shopper

This is a search for Felisa Yang's columns in Computer Shopper. If you have the document title index available, you can also find articles or a series of articles by title. Note that the author may be entered as yang, felisa or felisa yang or just yang. However, entering just yang may also return results such as Yang Zhou.

Example 3: Using the NOT Logical Operator

	Keyword (ke)	brian mulroney
NOT	Entire Document (tx)	airbus
NOT	Entire Document (tx)	libel

This is a search for documents about former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, excluding any that mention either Airbus Industrie or libel. This should effectively eliminate any articles about the accusation of kick-backs and Mulroney's subsequent libel suit. Notice that you must use the not operator a second time, rather than the or operator.