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.
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.
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 HIVpositive 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
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
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
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."
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."
All
of the Words
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.
Any
of the Words
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.
Exact
Phrase
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.
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:
Remove one of the terms from your search. If you are using too many
terms, you might be restricting the search too much.
Look for misspellings in the terms you have entered.
Change one of the terms to a broader term. For example, replace "peer
counseling" with "counseling."
Change an acronym to the full name of an organization. For example,
replace "NAPWA" with "National Association of People with AIDS."
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.
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:
You may be searching on a subject outside the scope of this Web site.
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.
