Using Advanced Search

You have several options for searching within a single collection or across multiple collections. You can search for items within the search box on the heading, or click advanced search to use other types of searches.

The search box (part of the navigation heading) searches across all fields in all collections for any term that you put in the search box in any order. For instance, if you search for "westward migration", the search engine searches for items containing "westward", or "migration".

The advanced search page allows you to select which collections to search. This page has four search types:

• All of the words — searches for all of the words in any order. Using Boolean logic, this search is similar to using "AND". For instance, if you entered "President Theodore Roosevelt" in this search box, the search results would contain only those items containing all three terms. For accurate results, do not include "AND" with your search terms.
• The exact phrase — searches for all of the words in the exact order. This is similar to using quotation marks in other search engines. For instance, if you were searching for "President Theodore Roosevelt", search results would contain only those items that contain the phrase "President Theodore Roosevelt". Using quotation marks may affect the accuracy of search results if your phrase includes a stop word which is not indexed. In searching, "stop words" are small and frequently occurring words like "the" or "of", that provide little value in locating the information you're looking for.
• Any of the words — searches for any of the words entered in the search box. Using Boolean logic, this search is similar to using "OR". For instance, if you entered "President Theodore Roosevelt" in this search box, the search results would contain all items containing any of the three terms, including results with only "President", only "Theodore", and only "Roosevelt". For accurate results, do not include "OR" with your search terms.
• None of the words — use this option with any of the other search boxes to exclude a term. Using Boolean logic, this search is similar to using "NOT". For instance, if you entered "President Roosevelt" in the exact phase search box and "Franklin" in this search box, the search results would contain all items containing "President Roosevelt" that do not contain the word "Franklin". For accurate results, do not include "NOT" with your search terms.

The search options presented differ based on your initial choice to search across all fields, by selected fields, by proximity or by date. The default selection is to search across all fields.

Search Across All Fields

When you select Search Across All Fields, a screen similar to the one below appears.

1. Search Mode
Click an option to specify your search preference. Search across all fields, selected fields, by proximity, or, if available, by date within collections. Whether you have access to the date range search depends on the content of the collection, so this option may not be available. The default mode searches across all fields.

2. Search Operators
Choose to search for all of the words, the exact phrase, any of the words, none of the words, or a combination.

3. Search Text Boxes
Type your search terms in the appropriate text boxes.

4. Search
Click Search when you have finished specifying your search criteria.

5. Clear All
Clear all collections. In order to perform a search, you must have one collection selected.

Search Selected Fields

When you select Search Selected Fields, a screen similar to the one below appears.

Helpful Hints:

1. Search Text Boxes
Type your search terms in the appropriate text boxes.

2. Field Names
Use the drop-down list to specify which field you want to search.

3. Search

Click Search when you have finished specifying your search criteria.

4. +/- Fields

Add fields (+) for more search fields, or press (-) to show fewer fields.

5. Clear All
Click Clear all to reset all the search fields.

6. Select All
Select all collections to search across.

7. Clear All
Clear all collections. In order to perform a search, you must have one collection selected.

8.Search by Proximity

When you select Search by Proximity, a screen similar to the one below appears.

Helpful Hints:

2. First Search Text Box
Type your search term in the text box.

3. Proximity Choices
Use the drop-down list to choose the number of words the search term in the first search text box can be from the search term in the second search text box.

4. Second Search Text Box
Type your search term in the text box.

5. Field Names
Use the drop-down list to specify which field you want to search.

6. Search
Click Search when you have finished specifying your search criteria.

7. Clear All
Click Clear all to reset all the search fields.

Search by Date

Whether you have access to the date search depends on the content of the collection, so this option may not be available. Only the collections that are searchable by date can be selected and searched in this mode. When you select Search by Date, a screen similar to the one below appears.

Helpful Hints:

1. Text Choices
Use the drop-down list to refine your search by selecting phrasing options so that your results match.

2. Search Text Box
Type your search terms in the text box.

3. Field Names
Use the drop-down list to specify which field you want to search.

4. Selecting a Search-Range
Use the drop-down list to specify a date range, or to search after, before, or on a particular date.

5. Specify a Date-Range
Use the drop-down lists and the text box to specify the range of dates you want to use in your search. Entering a year is required to perform a search. The required format for year is yyyy. Although not required, selecting more options will narrow your search.

6. Search
Click Search when you have finished specifying your search criteria.

7. Clear All
Click Clear All to reset all the search fields.