As you start to search for information, you will notice that the catalog and databases share similar characteristics. Many times you can use similar search techniques for all of them. Below are some of the most commonly used search techniques and tools.
Keyword Search-A search technique that looks for the occurrence of a word in some fields in a record. Also called a free text search. In most database searching, a free text or keyword search uses words in the way that a person normally speaks them.
Fields-In the library's catalog and databases, fields are the particular sections of an item record identified in the left margin. They include information such as the Author, Title, Publication, and/or Information or Subject Headings (LCSH). When searching in a database or catalog, you will be searching these fields. Most will offer an option to only search particular fields such as the Title or Author.
Controlled Vocabulary-Words used as subject headings by a catalog or database. Subject Headings are the main topics discussed in a cataloged or indexed item. They may also be called Subjects, Subject Terms, or Descriptors.
The subject headings used in library catalogs are regulated by the Library of Congress and are called Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH).
Limit (Limiter)-A search option in a catalog or database that allows a search to be limited by specific elements in the records. Examples of limits include full-text, publication type, publication date, subject, language, methodology, etc.
Boolean Operators-The AND, OR, and NOT options offered in a catalog's or database's Advanced Search. These operators are used to narrow or broaden searches.
AND narrow or limits the results by adding two or more terms together requiring results to have all terms.
OR broadens or expands the results by requiring items to only have one of the terms or all of the terms.
NOT will exclude a search term from all results. The NOT term can substantially reduce results.
Nesting-The use of parenthesis to connect search terms. For example in the following search: (cats AND dogs) OR birds, cats and dogs will be connected with one another. The results must have the terms cats and dogs or the term birds. It can not have only cats or only dogs.
Truncator-A symbol added to a search term within a database or catalog to broaden results by searching for terms with a common stem. For example in the Rice Library Catalog, ? is a truncator. If this is placed with the term teen as in teen? within the search field, the search will look for all word that start with teen: teen, teens, teenager, or teenagers. The process of using this symbol is called "truncation".
Truncators will vary depending on a database or catalog. Most commonly they are a ?, !, or *.
Wildcard-A search tool that stands for any single given letter. For instance in a database, ! may be a wildcard. If placed in the following: wom!n, the search will look for the words women, woman, and womyn. Wildcards will broaden a search and increase results. Most wildcards are the following: !, *, or ?.
