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Search Tips

This section provides tips on performing effective searches. If you are unfamiliar with searching, these step-by-step instructions and tips will help you obtain relevant results. For more assistance with searching, read the Frequently Asked Questions.

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Performing a Search Return to Top

  1. Decide on a single word or concept that describes your topic.
  2. Enter the word(s) in the search field. For example, if you are searching for information about HIV, enter "HIV" in the search field.
  3. Choose the type of search you want to use: "Boolean Search" (default), "Any of the Words," "All of the Words," or "Exact Phrase."
  4. Choose the way you want to show the results: "List" or "List with brief descriptions."
  5. Click the Go button.

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Boolean Search Return to Top

This is the default option. If this option is chosen, the search engine will look for documents depending on the operators you choose.


Common Operators
Return to Boolean Search

Operator Description

AND

This allows you to search for all of the words entered in the search field.
OR This allows you to search for any of the words entered in the search field.

Examples:

AND

Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will include documents with all of the words "hiv," "aids," and "virus" in the body of the text and/or title.

OR
Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will return documents with any of the words "HIV," "aids," or "virus" in the body of the text and/or title. This operator is commonly used when looking for a topic that may be found using similar words or abbreviations; for example, you could maximize a search for tuberculosis by entering "tb OR tuberculosis." Or maximize a search for women by entering "women OR females."

Note: These operators can be used together.

Example: "women OR females AND tuberculosis," which would produce results with either the word "women" or the word "females" in the body of the text and/or title as well as the word "tuberculosis".

The AND operator takes precedence over the OR operator. If you want the OR operator to take precedence over the AND operator use parentheses to group the OR statement. See Grouping Tips.

Proximity Operators Return to Boolean Search

Operator Description

<NEAR>

Identifies documents that contain two or more specified words within 1000 words of each other.
<NEAR/N> Identifies documents that contain two or more specified words within N words of each other.
<PARAGRAPH> Identifies documents that contain two or more specified words within the same paragraph.
<PHRASE> Identifies documents that contain a grouping of two or more words in a specific order.
<SENTENCE> Identifies documents that contain two or more specified words in the same sentence.

Examples:

<NEAR>
Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will return documents with the words "women" and "tuberculosis," within 1000 words of each other, in the body of the text and/or title.

<NEAR/N>
Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will return documents with the words "women" and "tuberculosis" within 10 words of each other, in the body of the text and/or title.

<PARAGRAPH>
Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will return documents with the words "women," "tuberculosis" and "HIV" within the same paragraph, in the body of the text and/or title.

<PHRASE>
Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will return documents with the exact phrase "active tuberculosis" in the body of the text and/or title.

<SENTENCE>
Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will return documents with the words "women" and "tuberculosis" within the same sentence in the body of the text and/or title.


Modifiers Return to Boolean Search

Modifier Description
NOT This allows you to exclude certain words from your search.
<CASE> This allows you to specify a case-sensitive search.
<ORDER> This allows you to specify a search with a specific order of words. This can be used with the proximity operators: <PARAGRAPH>, <SENTENCE>, <NEAR>, and <NEAR/N>.

Examples:

NOT

Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will return all documents with the word "HIV" in the body of the text and/or title, but not those that include the word "testing."


<CASE>

Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will return all documents with the words "HIV" and "HIV" in the body of the text and/or title. A mixed-case search will also be case sensitive. For example, <CASE>[STDs] would only produce results with the word "STDs", but not "stds" or "STDS".

<ORDER>

Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will include all documents with the words "HIV" and "positive" in that order and within the same sentence, in the body of the text and/or title. For example, results may include any of the following sentences:

The HIV positive patients participated in clinical trials.
The result of the HIV test was positive.

But not,

The positive effects of the drug on HIV patients were encouraging.

Grouping Return to Boolean Search

Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will include all documents with the words "HIV" or "aids" in the body of the text and/or title, but not those that include the words "testing" and "children."

Grouping Tips

  • Terms grouped by parentheses are read first.

    For example, (HIV OR aids) AND women

    The search engine will look for documents containing "HIV" or "aids" first and then for "women."

  • When nested parentheses are used, the search engine reads the innermost group first.

    For example, (homeless AND (TB OR tuberculosis)) NOT women

    The search engine will first look for documents containing "tb" or "tuberculosis," and then "homeless", but not those documents containing the word "women." This search would be done, for example, by an author who was writing about TB and homeless men. With this search the searcher could exclude from the results articles on homelessness that discussed both men and women.

  • Prefix notation can be used as another way to write a search string.

    For example, AND (HIV, aids)
    This is the same as searching for HIV AND aids.

    In the same way, OR can be used as a prefix.

    For example, OR (std, HIV, aids)
    This is the same as searching for std OR HIV OR aids.
    Note that two or more words can be used within a group.

    Furthermore, precedence is also given to the innermost group when using prefix notation.

    For example, AND (homeless, OR (tb, hiv))
    The search engine will look for documents containing "tb" or "hiv" first, then documents that also contain the word "homeless." This is the same as searching for (tb OR hiv) AND homeless.

Using Quotes Return to Boolean Search

In using the Boolean search, use double quotes around a phrase to return an exact phrase.

Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will include documents with the exact phrase "tuberculosis exposure in children" in the body of the text and/or title.

Truncation Return to Boolean Search

Right-hand truncation is available by using an asterisk. Using truncation enables you to search for more than one form of a word by entering a root word and placing an asterisk at the end of it.

Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will include all documents with the root "africa" in their text and/or title, for example, the words "Africa," "african," and "african's."


Wildcards Return to Boolean Search

Wildcard Description

? (question mark)

Identifies any single alphanumeric character.
* (asterisk) Identifies zero or more alphanumeric characters.
[ ] (square brackets) Identifies one of any character in a set.
{ } (curly brackets) Identifies one of each pattern separated by a comma.
^ (caret) Identifies one of any character not in a set.
- (hyphen) Identifies a specific range of characters in a set.

Examples:

Question Mark (?)
Search for:   
Search using:


Your results will include documents, for example, with the words "hit," "hot," and "hat" in the body of the text and/or title. The question mark represents only one character.

Asterisk (*)
Search for:   
Search using:

Your results may include documents ranging from the word "trips" to "tuberculosis" in the body of the text and/or title. The asterisk represents zero or more characters. Another example of the use of this wildcard is right-hand truncation.

Note: The asterisk cannot be used at the beginning of a search string, in a set [ ], or alternative pattern { }.

Square Brackets [ ]
Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will include documents with the words "spin," "span," or "spun" in the body of the text and/or title. These brackets identify only one character in a set. Also, the brackets imply the OR operator and, using the example above, would have the same meaning as the search string:

spin OR span OR spun

Curly Brackets { }
Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will include documents with the words "tests," "testing," or "tested" in the body of the text and/or title. These brackets identify a pattern of characters in a set. Also, the brackets imply the OR operator and, using the example above, would have the same meaning as the search string:

tests OR testing OR tested

Caret (^)
Search for:   
Search using:

Your results may include documents, for example, with the word "spun" in the body of the text and/or title, but not "spin" or "span." The caret denotes the NOT operator.

Hyphen ( - )
Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will include documents with every word beginning with "n," ending with "t," and containing any single letter from "a" to "q."

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All of the Words Return to Top

If you choose this option, the search engine will look for documents with all of the listed words. The words entered must be separated by spaces and not commas.

Example:

Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will include documents with all of the words "HIV," "aids," and "virus" in the body of the text and/or title.

Note: This search produces the same results as the Boolean Search using the AND operator.


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Any of the Words Return to Top

If you choose this option, the search engine will look for documents with any of the listed words. The words entered must be separated by spaces and not commas.

Example:

Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will include documents with any of the words "HIV," "aids," or "virus" in the body of the text and/or title.

Note: This search produces the same results as the Boolean Search using the OR operator.


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Exact Phrase Return to Top

If you choose this option, the search engine will look for documents that contain the exact phrase entered. The words entered must be separated by spaces and not commas.

Example:
Search for:   
Search using:

Your results will include documents with the exact phrase "tuberculosis exposure in children" in the body of the text and/or title.

Note: This search produces the same results as the Boolean Search using the double quotes around a specific phrase.


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Refining Your Search Return to Top

If You Find Too Little:
If you find that you are not getting any results, or not getting as many as you would like, broaden your search. Here are a few options:

  1. Remove one of the terms from your search. If you are using too many terms, you might be restricting the search too much.
  2. Look for misspellings in the terms you have entered.
  3. Change one of the terms to a broader term. For example, replace "peer counseling" with "counseling."
  4. Change an acronym to the full name of an organization. For example, replace "NAPWA" with "National Association of People with AIDS."
  5. See the Frequently Asked Questions.

If You Find Too Much:
If you get too many results, narrow your search. Here are a few options:

  1. Make your wording more specific. For example, use "syphilis" instead of "sexually transmitted diseases."
  2. Use the Boolean Operators to limit your search.
  3. See the Frequently Asked Questions.

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Interpreting Your Search Results Return to Top

When you select Go, the search begins and the results will appear on your screen.

The number of matches found is shown at the top of the results page. Results are displayed by number, title, and description (optional) and ordered by relevance. Click on a link to review its contents.

Note: If you are using any form of punctuation in your search and get an error message or no results, remove the punctuation and try your search again.


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Frequently Asked Questions Return to Top

Included here is a list of frequently asked questions about the NPIN Search Engine. If you have a question we have not addressed, please send us a message.

Question: Why doesn't the NPIN Search Engine retrieve any records on my topic?

Answer: It is possible that the search engine may not find any matches for the topic you request. This might happen for several reasons:

Question: My search results gave me too many records. How can I narrow my search?

Answer: To narrow your results, enter another word using the Boolean operators or other searches.

Question: Does it matter if I use upper or lower case letters?

Answer: No, the search engine does not recognize the difference between upper and lower case letters.

Question: How do I know what words to use?

Answer: If you think the NPIN site should have information on your topic but you are not finding any matches, you may be using a word that is different from the one the site uses. Try to think of another way to phrase the concept you're looking for. Also see Refining Your Search.

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