Comparison of Search Commands

Research Assistance

Commands listed here are defined once, and the user may assume the function remains the same from database to database unless otherwise noted.

USF Library Catalog

The catalog search is menu driven. Basic and Advanced search assume an OR between each term added on the same line (search box.) No additional Boolean operators are required. Truncation and Wildcards are also not used.

Cambridge Scientific (CSA)

Boolean:

AND - all terms must be present in each retrieved item
OR - either term or both must be presnet in retrieved item(s)
NOT - eliminates term following the NOT
( ) - maintains the integrity of phrase or use to group similar terms together.
For example: (polar bears); (automobiles or cars)

Proximity:

within# - within 5 words of each other, any order
near - assumes within 10 words, any order
before - determines order of one term with respect to another but adjacency is not assumed
after - determines order of one term with respect to another but adjacency is not assumed

Truncation / wildcards:

* - represents multiple characters within or at the end of a word
? - represents one character within or at the end of a word; may use more than once example: fib?? Retrieves fiber or fibre

OCLC FirstSearch

Boolean:

AND
OR
NOT
( )
“” - protects the integrity of a phrase that contains a Boolean operator, e.g., “salt and pepper”

Proximity:

w - exact order
w# - within a specified number of words, exact order
n - any order
n# - within a specified number of words, any order

Truncation / wildcards:

+ - searches for plurals only ( “s” or “es”)
* - represents one or more characters at the end of a word
# - represents a single character within a word
? - alone or with a number, represents 0-9 characters at the end of a word

Search History:
Click on the Previous Searches link to list and/or combine previous search statements

Notes:
Search fields vary among FirstSearch databases. Search may also be limited by language, dates, or types of publications.

JSTOR

Boolean:

AND
OR
NOT
“” - phrase search, e.g., “cooperative learning”
() group similar terms together, e.g., exotic AND (birds OR butterflies)

LEXIS/NEXIS Academic Universe

Boolean:

AND
OR
AND NOT
“”

Proximity:

w/# - where # = 1 to 255; any order
pre/# - searches exact order
w/para - searches in same paragraph
w/sent - searches in same sentence
Note: NOT may be used with some proximity connectors

Truncation / wildcards:

* - represents one character within or at the end of a word; may use more than once
! - represents one or more characters at the end of the word

ProQuest

Boolean:

AND - Words must be within the same paragraph
OR
AND NOT
" " - exact phrase search

Proximity:

w/# - terms within # of each other, any order; # represents number 0 or higher
not w/# - not within designated number of words
pre/# - exact order
w/doc - All words within the document

Truncation / wildcards:

* - replaces any number of characters at the end of a search term
? - represents single character within or at the end of the term

Search History: Click on Your Recent Searches to reselect previously performed search.

Notes:
Searching full text may retrieve a great deal more articles than limiting the search to basic fields. When performing a search using either the basic or advanced search mode, the searcher must select for full text if desired. Date searching is also possible.

ScienceDirect

Boolean:

AND
OR
AND NOT
" "
{ } - exact phrase including punctuation, stop words, etc.

Proximity:

w/# - where # = 1 to 255 words, any order
PRE/# - searches the exact order

Truncation/wildcards:

? - replaces one character anywhere in the word; may use more than once
* - replaces one or more characters anywhere in a word; may use more than once

Web of Science

Boolean:

AND
OR
NOT
( ) - nesting groups of terms
" " - exact phrase

Proximity:

SAME - both search for terms within the same sentence

Truncation / wildcards:

* - represents none, one or more characters within or at the end of a word
? - represents a single character within or at the end of a word

Notes:
To ensure comprehensive results, names containing punctuation, hyphens and articles should be entered all possible ways:
example: o’brian or obrian de la rosa or delarosa.

Wilson
The Wilson search engine is fairly sophisticated with concept and relational operators. Please check HELP for more information.

Boolean:

AND
OR
NOT
" " - exact phrase
( ) - group terms

Proximity:

Near/#

Truncation / wildcards:
"Stemming" (truncation) of a word is automatic. Truncation symbols may not be used in the All- Smart Search mode.

* - represents one or more characters at the end of a word
? - represents one character within or at the end of a word

DBH, 2/2008

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